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Meta executives faced intense scrutiny at Australia's Royal Commission into Antisemitism on Monday, defending the company's 2025 policy changes that reduced proactive content moderation. The changes, announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg in January 2025, were intended to reduce 'censorship' but have been linked by Jewish advocacy groups to a rise in antisemitic content on Facebook and Instagram.

Benjamin Good, Meta's global director of core policy, testified that the company's processes had improved since the changes, focusing on removing content that could cause offline harm, such as terrorism threats or child exploitation. However, counsel assisting the commission, Richard Lancaster, argued that it was 'entirely unrealistic' to think the changes had not altered how content moderators operated, pointing to complaints about increased antisemitic content.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from ABC Australia, The Guardian, and the Jerusalem Post all highlighted the royal commission's focus on Meta's policy shift. The Guardian and ABC Australia emphasized complaints from Jewish advocacy groups, while the Jerusalem Post also cited ADL research showing Instagram's failure to remove hateful content. All three outlets quoted Zuckerberg's January 2025 statement describing the policy change as a 'trade-off.'

Key Claims

  • Meta announced in January 2025 that it would reduce censorship, eliminate factcheckers, and proactively tackle only illegal and very serious violations, relying on users to report less serious breaches.
  • Zuckerberg described the change as a trade-off, saying Meta would 'catch less bad stuff' but also reduce accidental takedowns of innocent posts.
  • Good told the inquiry that processes improved since the changes, but acknowledged the 'gold standard' of proactive removal could lead to over-enforcement.
  • Jewish advocacy groups reported more antisemitic content on Meta's platforms after the policy change.
  • Meta's internal guidance stated that offensive comments like 'gay people are sinners' would be allowed, as it is not Meta's role to police offensiveness.
  • The ADL's research found Instagram failed to remove 93% of hateful content reported by its researchers.
  • Meta removed 5.8 million Facebook items for hate speech from October to December 2024, but only 1.2 million from July to September 2025, marking a 79% drop.
  • Good said he did not know if the drop was solely due to the policy changes.

Perspectives

Meta

Meta's policy director Benjamin Good rejected claims that the 2025 changes led to more antisemitic content, describing conversations with Jewish groups as 'overwhelmingly productive and constructive.' He said the changes aimed to allow debate on political topics and reduce over-enforcement.

Counsel Assisting the Commission

Richard Lancaster SC argued that the changes allowed more antisemitic content, pointing to internal documents and witness testimony. He also noted that witnesses who gave evidence were targeted on Facebook after testifying.

Jewish Advocacy Groups

Groups reported an increase in antisemitic content on Meta's platforms, and the Anti-Defamation League's research showed high rates of Instagram failing to remove hateful content.