Meta’s content U-turn sparks exodus: Searches on ‘how to delete Fb’ soar

Google searches for how to delete Facebook, Instagram, and Threads accounts have shot up in the US after Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg announced sweeping changes to the platform’s content moderation policies. The company is ending its third-party fact-checking system, loosening moderation rules, and bringing back more political content in user feeds, reported TechCrunch.

Critics also argue the decision is an attempt to align with the incoming Trump administration and sidestep potential political pushback. They warn the shift could lead to an increase in harmful posts, hate speech, and misinformation, amplifying concerns about the negative impact of Meta’s platforms.

Searches to leave Meta surge

Interest in leaving Meta’s platforms has surged dramatically, with Google Trends showing searches like “how to permanently delete Facebook” hitting a perfect 100 score — the highest level of interest.

Other breakout searches, such as “how to delete all photos Facebook,” “how to quit Facebook,” and “how to delete Instagram account without logging in,” have spiked by over 5,000 per cent compared to previous weeks, mentioned the TechCrunch report.

A history of overlooking harm

Meta’s decision comes after years of mounting criticism over its role in enabling the spread of misinformation and incitement to violence across its platforms. Facebook played a key role in enabling the January 6 Capitol insurrection, where it failed to curb calls for violence and circulation of conspiracy theories. Internal reports revealed the company deliberately overlooked measures to mitigate political polarisation, despite knowing the potential risks.

Globally, Meta’s platforms have also been implicated in serious atrocities. In Myanmar, Facebook was used to incite violence against the Rohingya, contributing to what the UN described as genocide.

In recent years, Meta introduced measures to scale back political content and reduce user exposure to divisive discourse. Zuckerberg himself said in 2021 that users didn’t want “politics and fighting” to dominate their experience. However, those measures are now being reversed, with Zuckerberg citing a desire to restore ‘free expression’, echoing similar rhetoric used by Elon Musk on X (formerly Twitter).

Rising interest in alternatives

As users grow uneasy with Meta’s changes, searches for ‘Facebook alternatives’ are also spiking. Platforms like Bluesky and Mastodon, decentralised social networks that gained attention after Elon Musk’s acquisition of X, are seeing renewed interest.

Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko weighed in on Meta’s shift, calling the changes ‘alarming for anyone with a conscience’. He also reminded users that Mastodon enforces strict policies against hate speech, including for those cross-posting content from Threads via diverse features.