Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are slamming Meta over its fact-checking policy

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have joined the ranks of those displeased with Meta’s changes to fact-checking and have released a statement saying that the changes “directly underminds free speech.” 

“Meta’s changes to its ‘Hateful Content Policies’ do not protect free expression but instead foster an environment where abuse and hate speech silence and threaten the voices of whole communities who make up a healthy democracy,” they wrote. 

They also called out Meta’s plans to abandon its DEI commitments. 

Meghan rejoined Instagram a few weeks ago after deleting her social media accounts in 2018. She’s said to have previously had “constructive conversations” with Meta execs about online safety after speaking about the online abuse she’s faced since marrying Harry.

Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko called the changes “deeply troubling” and “a concern to anyone with a conscience.” Michael McConnell, co-chair of Meta’s oversight board, also expressed concern, adding that the oversight board was not consulted on the changes.