Meta, the parent company of popular platforms like Facebook and Instagram, has removed over 10 million fake accounts and an additional 500,000 spam accounts from Facebook. These fake profiles were primarily impersonating real creators or reposting others' content without permission or meaningful modification.
The platform said this clean-up is part of a broader initiative to reward genuine creators, eliminate low-effort content, and ensure that original voices get more visibility and monetisation opportunities.
The newly enforced guidelines target accounts that engage in:
Content reposting without credit
Fake likes, shares, and engagement
Monetisation of viral or recycled content
Meta clarified that reacting to or remixing content remains acceptable, but only when it adds distinct creative value. Simply reposting viral videos or memes with minor edits or new captions won’t qualify as original work.
Accounts violating these updated policies face penalties such as:
Reduced visibility in feeds
Suspension from monetisation programs
Temporary or permanent bans for repeat violations
This move aims to declutter user feeds, cutting down on recycled memes, viral videos, and AI-generated spam content. Meta wants users to see more content from genuine creators rather than repetitive, low-effort posts designed to rack up engagement quickly.
The algorithm updates are being gradually rolled out globally to ensure they don’t negatively affect authentic creators, according to Meta.
To further support real content producers, Meta is testing new attribution tools. These tools will automatically link duplicate posts back to the original creator, ensuring proper credit is given where due.
If Meta’s system detects that a video or post is a duplicate, the original post will receive higher ranking and reach, while the recycled version will be demoted. This will not only protect creator rights but also improve the authenticity of content feeds.
Meta has made it clear that content reposted without significant changes will no longer be eligible for monetisation. This includes:
Unedited video reposts
Minor clip combinations
Posts with only added watermarks or emojis
Creators who rely on low-effort or copied content will not qualify for payouts under Meta’s monetisation programs like Reels Play Bonus or Ad Revenue Sharing.
Instead, the company urges creators to focus on original storytelling, ensuring that they bring unique value to the platform and its community.
To help content creators thrive under the new system, Meta recommends:
Consistently publish original and unique content
Avoid unnecessary hashtags, filters, or watermarks
Write engaging and relevant captions
Incorporate personal voice and storytelling
Use platform-native tools like Reels, Stories, or Live features
These practices align with Meta’s broader goal of promoting authentic digital expression.
Although there have been no reported technical issues or outages due to these changes, users across various regions have already started to notice a shift in the content appearing in their feeds. The gradual rollout is designed to minimise disruption while reinforcing the value of originality and transparency.
The initiative reflects Meta’s ongoing effort to foster a more respectful and trustworthy digital space, where creativity is rewarded and spammers are pushed out.