Meta's rollback of content moderation linked to surge in threats against U.S. lawmakers
A nonprofit watchdog reported that violent threats and harassment targeting U.S. lawmakers on Facebook increased significantly after Meta rolled back content moderation safeguards in 2025, with calls for violence against lawmakers quadrupling and racist and gendered abuse jumping on the platform.
What happened
Meta rolled back key content moderation safeguards in 2025 in what was billed as an attempt to protect free speech. The Center for Countering Digital Hate analysed nearly eight million Facebook comments targeting 100 members of Congress in the six months before and after this policy change.
Reported impact
According to the watchdog, violent threats targeting lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle, including calls for murder, quadrupled after Meta eased safeguards. Harassment more than doubled, while racist and gendered abuse jumped on the platform. The report also found that comments inciting violence against U.S. President Donald Trump surged after the policy changes.
Index analysis
The Center for Countering Digital Hate stated that "when platforms stop enforcing their own rules against threats, hate, and harassment, they become complicit in normalizing intimidation and harassment of elected officials," and that "the result is a culture where violence feels easier to justify and radicals feel empowered."
Governance controls
Meta disputed the report's findings, stating that "the prevalence of hateful conduct did not increase throughout 2025." A Meta spokesman said the company could not address the claims in the CCDH report as they were not provided it in advance of publication.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.