Do Community Notes Actually Work?

Meta’s latest update has stirred up a lot of discussion—especially among those focused on community management. In January 2025, Meta announced that it would be replacing fact-checkers with Community Notes, a move that was met with widespread scepticism. With this change, Meta is loosening its rules on what people can say across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. But will this approach actually help maintain safe and accurate discussions, or is it a step in the wrong direction? Do Community Notes Work?

What are Community Notes?

Community Notes are a system that allows users to add context to posts rather than relying on third-party fact-checkers. Instead of professional fact-checkers verifying information, the idea is that the broader community will help identify misinformation and provide clarifications.

This system has already been implemented on X (formerly Twitter), and Meta has begun testing it in the US as of March 18, 2025. Users in the UK can currently sign up for a waitlist to participate in the feature when it rolls out later this year.

Do Community Notes actually work?

The concept of Community Notes sounds promising—empowering users to fact-check and add context should, in theory, help combat misinformation. However, research suggests otherwise.

A recent Bloomberg analysis of Community Notes on X (from February 2023 to early 2025) found that the system has fallen short of counteracting both political and financial incentives for spreading false information. Some key findings include:

• Fewer than 10% of Community Notes were marked as helpful by users.
• 26% of “helpful” notes were later removed due to user disagreements.
• Many divisive topics became battlegrounds where users could not agree on what was true or false.

Meta’s Community Notes vs X’s approach

Meta argues that its version of Community Notes will be less biased than its previous fact-checking program because it allows a wider range of people to participate. However, the US test phase has already raised concerns that it may face the same challenges seen on X.

Should Businesses be concerned?

If your business relies on community engagement and brand reputation management, Community Notes could become an important factor in how your content is perceived. Since notes will help “police” content rather than fact-checkers, businesses may find themselves dealing with more misinformation and disputes in their comment sections.

What’s Next?

While Meta is rolling out Community Notes throughout 2025, it remains to be seen whether they will be effective in curbing misinformation. If you’re managing a brand on social media, it’s worth keeping an eye on how these changes impact engagement, trust, and the overall safety of online discussions.