A look at Meta's convoluted or contradictory hate speech examples for user content moderators, allowing derogatory remarks about races, nationalities, and more

Meta is now granting its users new freedom to post a wide array of derogatory remarks about races, nationalities, ethnic groups …

The Intercept 2025-01-10 Sam Biddle

Context & Ripple Effects

The reported guidance sits alongside contemporaneous moderator rules allowing dehumanizing language toward trans people, indicating that the change was operationalized in instructions for the people enforcing Facebook and Instagram policies—not merely framed as a public-policy shift.

The subsequent record centers on whether those loosened rules can be applied consistently: Meta's Oversight Board later said the policy change was announced hastily and then treated posts disparaging trans women as outside hate-speech enforcement in an early test.

First-order effects

Users gain more latitude to post derogatory content aimed at protected groups under Meta's revised guidance, while moderators must apply a broader set of permitted exceptions.
People targeted by the newly permitted speech face a narrower route to removal through Meta's hate-speech enforcement systems.

Second-order effects

Moderator decisions are likely to become harder to standardize when examples permit some group-directed derogatory remarks but draw boundaries elsewhere, increasing the importance of escalation and appeals.
Meta's Oversight Board becomes a more consequential check on the policy's practical effects, as shown by its request that Meta assess impacts on vulnerable users.

Third-order effects

If this approach persists, platform-safety governance may shift from categorical bans toward more speech-protective, case-specific rules—placing greater weight on internal guidance and post-by-post adjudication.
The resulting tension between expression and user protection could intensify scrutiny of whether independent oversight can meaningfully constrain policy changes made by major platforms.

The trend: This is one instance of major platforms redefining harmful-speech enforcement through narrower rules and more discretionary moderation judgments.

Discussion

@adriancarrasquillo Adrian Carrasquillo on bluesky
Surely, this will go fine. — Leaked Meta Rules: Users are Free to Post “Mexican Immigrants are Trash” or “Trans People are Immoral.” — theintercept.com/2025/01/09/ f...
@jillian Jillian C. York on bluesky
I also recommend reading this article from the Intercept (I'm quoted), which came out just after EFF's blog post yesterday theintercept.com/2025/01/09/ f...
@anarchytabletop Michael O'Connell on bluesky
When I left Twitter a couple years ago, it was because I believed the platform was becoming weaponized in an attempt to help install an authoritarian government in the U.S. — Today, I see a similar transition happening with Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads). — theintercept.…
@mathchaos Omar Rafael Regalado Fernández on bluesky
The US started an ethnic cleansing of Mexicans as early as the 19th century. President Musk and co-president Trump are laying the ground for continuing that project, which is kind of half-baked in many institutions in the US. — Meta is accelerating dehumanisation. — theinter…
@garymarcus Gary Marcus on bluesky
Another reminder to please delete your Facebook account. [embedded post]
@parismarx.com Paris Marx on bluesky
when the right says “free speech,” they mean “bigotry with no consequences” [embedded post]
@faineg Faine Greenwood on bluesky
It's amazing how Mark Zuckerberg looked at the mass exodus from Elon's Twitter in large part *because* its now become 95% deranged hate speech, and went “we've gotta allow more deranged hate speech on our platforms” — Good luck with that, you dead-eyed ghoul. [embedded post]
@rincewind.run Micah on bluesky
this is a company that was explicitly complicit in a genocide in Myanmar and they looked at that and decided it was the model they wanted to bring to the rest of the world — I am simply not good enough with words to adequately express how angry this makes me [embedded post]
@murshedz @murshedz on bluesky
“Under Meta's relaxed hate speech rules, users can now post “I'm a proud racist” or “Black people are more violent than whites. This is so beyond vile and repulsive not sure where to begin or end. — Just in case anyone is still considering giving free content to Threads.
@elienyc @elienyc on bluesky
In fairness, META already let people post “I voted for Donald Trump” so this new rule isn't much different [embedded post]
@melissaryan Melissa Ryan on bluesky
As a reminder members of marginalized communities also use Facebook. Hell of a way to treat your own user base. theintercept.com/2025/01/09/ f...
@kevinmkruse Kevin M. Kruse on bluesky
Well, I'm sure you're allowed to say equally vile things about Zuckerberg on his [SIGNAL LOST] [embedded post]
@jvl Jonathan V. Last on bluesky
Thank God Zuckerberg has returned Facebook to free speech. You used to have to be an elected Republican to be able to say these things. [embedded post]
@samfbiddle Sam Biddle on x
The document states that “dehumanizing” statements are still forbidden, but cites as examples of content moderators should “Allow” posts saying “Immigrants are grubby, filthy pieces of shit,” “Gays are freaks,” and “Mexican immigrants are trash!”
@liamjsm @liamjsm on x
This is a crazy document to produce
@privacymatters @privacymatters on x
WTH @Meta !! “Examples of newly permissible speech on Facebook and Instagram highlighted in the training materials include: “Immigrants are grubby, filthy pieces of shit.” “Gays are freaks.” “Look at that tranny (beneath photo of 17 year old girl).”
@uebey Erik Uebelacker on x
Who was asking for this? Were people really leaving Facebook and Instagram in droves because they couldn't post slurs? [image]
@fedtanyl @fedtanyl on x
I'm fine with allowing like, highly controversial ideas to be argued, as long as there is an actual point being made, but I don't exactly think slurs and racialized insults really constitute that!
@rhcm123 Sky Marchini on x
i said this just yesterday but apparently, no, actually, they are gonna just allow any type of discrimination on facebook dot com [image]
@samfbiddle Sam Biddle on x
The loosened rules allow for overt statements of racial superiority, and unsurprisingly given the national moment, carve out particular latitude for hateful comments about transgender people and immigrants.
@samfbiddle Sam Biddle on x
NEW: I've obtained internal Meta docs with examples of posts now allowed under new hate speech rules. Examples include calling children “trannies,” “Jews are flat out greedier than Christians,” and “immigrants are grubby, filthy pieces of shit” https://theintercept.com/...
@samfbiddle Sam Biddle on x
Statements that one protected class is smarter than another are allowed—but only if posted with “support.” The example given for this rule is “I just read a statistical study about Jewish people being smarter than Christians.” Easy to imagine other nouns being swapped in here.
@jbarro Josh Barro on x
oh no! people can have bad ideas now
@gaynarcan Corinne Green on x
oh yeah totally the $1.5T corporation setting policy for 4B monthly active users accidentally trained their staff on a heckin oopsy you guys. btw on my etsy store right now if you buy one bridge you get one free [image]
@jason_kint Jason Kint on x
Dear advertisers. Your investment.
@abbychavastein @abbychavastein on x
The direct correlation of transphobia, xenophobia, and antisemitism should come as no surprise to anyone. Also, the antisemitic statement below is one of the most dangerous, and historically one of the deadliest, antisemitic tropes.
@etbrooking Emerson T. Brooking on x
There is no “free speech” principle here. This is a specific political decision by @finkd to enable hatred against previously protected minorities. And it is an implicit judgment that some people are not worth protecting. [image]
@jason_kint Jason Kint on x
Dear advertisers. Your investment. And a reminder Supreme Court of the U.S. will decide tomorrow whether to grant cert to Facebook in the fraud case for allegedly inflating its reach numbers to you by counting fake and duplicate accounts. But hey, you do you.
@mikeisaac Rat King on x
Meta's new training manuals give some examples of what moderators are no longer allowed to take down on Facebook important scoop by @samfbiddle [image]
@samfbiddle Sam Biddle on x
The document outlines the at times arbitrary boundaries Meta has drawn w/r/t hate speech. “Lesbians are so stupid” is cited as against the rules, while “Trans people are mentally ill” or “Gay people are sinners” are now marked as allowable.
r/stupidpol r on reddit
Leaked Meta Rules: Users Are Free to Post “Mexican Immigrants Are Trash!” or “Trans People Are Immoral”
@cwarzel Charlie Warzel on bluesky
man say what you will about x but at least they're like unapologetically full woke mind virus. this is some bleak, bankrupt stuff right here. www.platformer.news/meta-new- tra... [image]
@caseynewton Casey Newton on bluesky
NEW: Platformer has obtained the dehumanizing new guidelines moderating what people can now say about trans people on Facebook and Instagram. Employees tell me these changes are likely to inspire more violence against LGBT people: www.platformer.news/meta-new- tra... [image]
@o.simardcasanova.net Olivier Simard-Casanova on bluesky
“You fight discriminations by allowing more discriminations” is some incredible bullshit, especially from a gay man — It's the same as “forbidding vaccines will lead to more support for vaccines, as people will see their friends die from preventable diseases” — www.platformer…
@davidslevine David S. Levine on bluesky
I'm all for free speech. I'm also for decency and respect. Facebook has chosen to abandon the latter two values in favor of a warped view of free speech that ignores hate speech, intimidation, and dehumanization. Allowing human beings to be labeled “it” while collecting ad rev…
@justinling.ca Justin Ling on bluesky
I think this saga exposes the absurdity of asking our social media overlords to police our speech — there is no way to ban ‘dehumanizing speech’ without drawing free speech-limiting arbitrarily lines. — But, also, if you want real free speech: You shouldn't be a platform that w…
@jael Jael Holzman on bluesky
which then flows down into policy — can't legislate what you can't say
@jael Jael Holzman on bluesky
top of mind: this means elected officials can say this stuff without impacts on their accounts [embedded post]
@bostonjoan @bostonjoan on bluesky
Dig into this. These policy changes reflect Kaplan's free rein as Global head of policy. — More than a dog whistle, Kaplan rewrote Meta policy to reflect the priorities of MAGA. It's gross. — I hope we get to the bottom of how influential Kaplan has been on shutting down di…
@sanjanah Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa on bluesky
What's permissible on Meta now. Importantly, and though not mentioned in article, likely that even on appeal, this content will never be actioned since it's now official policy to allow this speech. Inside Meta's dehumanizing new speech policies for trans people www.platformer.…
@gbbranstetter Gillian Branstetter on bluesky
“Alex Schultz, the company's chief marketing officer and highest-ranking gay executive, suggested in an internal post that seeing their queer friends and family members abused on Facebook and Instagram could lead to increased support for LGBTQ rights.” [embedded post]
@megannicolett Megan Farokhmanesh on bluesky
this isn't just disgusting or devastatingly immoral. it will get people killed [embedded post]
@parkermolloy Parker Molloy on threads
As a trans person, I've gotta say... this sucks a lot
@kevinroose Kevin Roose on threads
Every Meta employee who is not a dead-eyed mercenary is going to have an awkward time explaining all of this to their kids someday!
@marcslove Marc Love on threads
Honestly, shame on you @mosseri for participating in this. Never forget that you decided to open the floodgates for queer kids to be terrorized.
@jon_speaks_ Jon on x
close enough, welcome back [image]
r/technology r on reddit
Leaked Meta Rules: Users Are Free to Post “Mexican Immigrants Are Trash!” or “Trans People Are Immoral” - Under Meta's relaxed hate speech rules …
@evacide @evacide on bluesky
Pressure from employees at tech and social media companies has been one of the few things that has been effective in getting these companies to change their policies. What you do, what you say, and what you agree to build in these times matters a lot. [embedded post]
@o.simardcasanova.net Olivier Simard-Casanova on bluesky
As Mike Masnick aptly wrote in this article, it's the classical Nazi bar problem: once a bar allows Nazis, even if the owner isn't a Nazi themselves, other people will (rightfully) see it as a Nazi bar - and they will and act accordingly — See Substack as another illustration […
@o.simardcasanova.net Olivier Simard-Casanova on bluesky
While I don't dispute that there's a contingent of fascists in the Silicon Valley, Meta is so big that it probably needs a workforce so large that there isn't enough fascists to work for them — How do you attract non-fascists people when you openly admit that you're fine hostin…
@o.simardcasanova.net Olivier Simard-Casanova on bluesky
The problem for Meta is that once you openly sided with the far right and declared open season on LGBTQ people, women, and immigrants, it'll be very hard to return to the previous equilibrium — It'll affect the choices of users, but also workers [embedded post]
@mutual-a @mutual-a on bluesky
one of the most notable things about tech worker organizing is that it is frequently motivated by *moral* concerns about what the company *does* bc they fail to live up to the values that the company purports — arxiv.org/pdf/2307.15790 [embedded post]
@gbbranstetter Gillian Branstetter on bluesky
Calling into work gay [embedded post]
@samleecole Sam Cole on bluesky
in trying to kiss trump's ass, zuck has pissed so many employees off that they're considering mass resignation www.404media.co/its-total-ch...
@esqueer.net Alejandra Caraballo on bluesky
Meta is now completely censoring searches for the terms “trans” and “transgender” etc. on Threads. — So much for free speech and free expression. [images]
@thewanderingjew @thewanderingjew on bluesky
Was there a specific policy before that you were not allowed to call people mentally ill? Facebook never seemed like it would clean up that kind of hatred. [embedded post]
@jasonkoebler Jason Koebler on bluesky
From an internal thread about the change: [image]
@jasonkoebler Jason Koebler on bluesky
New: Meta employees are furious about a new policy that allows users to call LGBTQ+ people “mentally ill.” Some have resigned in protest. Some LGBTQ+ employees have started saying they if they are ‘mentally ill’ they should get leave of absences from work — www.404media.co/its…
@dwillner Dave Willner on bluesky
Instead, these below-the-fold changes are very clearly designed to avoid having to penalize people like Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene for the increasingly dehumanizing language they use against these specific groups. You can tell because of the changes they *didn't* make. 🧵 …
@dwillner Dave Willner on bluesky
Folks are mostly missing the forest for the trees re: the recent Meta announcement. Specifically, the focus on the move from fact checking to community notes. There two different changes that are a much bigger deal that have received less focus. 🧵 1/11
@dwillner Dave Willner on bluesky
So, for example, you still cannot call all members of a specific religion mentally ill. I can't come up with a reason for that difference other than the fact that it would be frequently applied to Evangelicals and also isn't (currently) a meme on the American Right. 🧵 10/11
@dwillner Dave Willner on bluesky
Another obvious tell is the awkward inclusion of the specific term “transgenderism” (a rightwing shibboleth) into the policy language itself. — TL;DR - the fact checking drama is mostly a distraction from a much more grim set of changes. 🧵 11/11
@eliothiggins Eliot Higgins on bluesky
My personal opinion is this is at least partly fuelled by a fundamental error in the approach in the counter-disinformation on focusing on foreign actors rather than treating information disorder as a societal issue. An extensive piece on that to come. [embedded post]
@willoremus.com Will Oremus on bluesky
What to do about it is an extremely hard question. Anyone offering simple fixes is probably a grifter. That's the part of the critique of the “misinformation industrial complex” I think is valid. — But the viral spread of lies tailored to each user's basest instincts and bias…
@aral@mastodon.ar.al Aral Balkan on mastodon
You EITHER federate with Meta/Threads and have them be a partner in your Social Web Foundation OR you support LGBTQ+ people and human rights for all. — You can't do both. — Not after this. — The fact that we even have to fucking try to convince you to do the right thing is …
@parkermolloy Parker Molloy on threads
Looks like things aren't going over... uh, well, over at Meta https://www.404media.co/...
@aaron.rupar Aaron Rupar on threads
Markwayne Mullin says Mark Zuckerberg reached out to him to ask if they can “get in the cage and fight” and “spar” together. He also says Zuckerberg spoke with Trump about Meta's new moderation policies just before they were announced.
@zaidjilani Zaid Jilani on x
Why are they fixated on controlling what free people can say? You can vehemently disagree with someone's speech but believe they have a right to expression.
@redsteeze Stephen L. Miller on x
There's the door.
r/transgender r on reddit
'It's Total Chaos Internally at Meta Right Now': Employees Protest Zuckerberg's Anti LGBTQ Changes
r/LGBTnews r on reddit
'It's Total Chaos Internally at Meta Right Now': Employees Protest Zuckerberg's Anti LGBTQ Changes. Meta's decision to specifically allow users …
r/AnythingGoesNews r on reddit
'It's Total Chaos Internally at Meta Right Now': Employees Protest Zuckerberg's Anti LGBTQ Changes | …
r/technology r on reddit
'It's Total Chaos Internally at Meta Right Now': Employees Protest Zuckerberg's Anti LGBTQ Changes. Meta's decision to specifically allow users …

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