Threads to introduce fact-checking ahead of 2024 elections

Meta’s Threads will crack down next year on what it regards as “misinformation.”

According to Threads leader Adam Mosseri this week, the site’s fact-checking system will be similar to the ones in place on Facebook and Instagram.

After a post has been flagged by one of the independent fact-checkers, users will be able to lower or maintain the level of demotions on a post.

Mr. Mosseri also confirmed that user settings to limit controversial content on Instagram or Facebook will carry over to Threads.

The addition of fact-checkers is in preparation for the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

Since its launch earlier this year, Threads has not been a place where people go for controversial content or news.

In fact, in the wake of Israel’s war on Hamas since the terrorist group Oct. 7 massacre, Mr. Mosseri confirmed that the site would be deemphasizing news.

Mr. Mosseri originally said this was because the platform could not handle the amount of misinformation that was likely to come out of a war. Threads also limited the search of controversial terms like “COVID” or “vaccines.”

The decision to deemphasize news on Threads puts it in strong contrast to its main competitor: X, which remains a major source of news. Both Threads and X have launched misinformation tams to deal with information on the upcoming election.