Meta has announced new measures to reduce the spread of unoriginal content on Facebook. Accounts that repeatedly repost others’ work without permission or meaningful edits will lose access to monetization programs and see reduced visibility. Full details are available in Meta’s official update.
Why Meta is taking action
The move comes shortly after YouTube introduced stricter monetization rules targeting repetitive or mass-produced content. Both platforms are responding to the rise of content farms and AI-driven reposts that add little value for viewers.
Meta revealed it has already removed around 10 million impersonator profiles and penalised 500,000 accounts involved in spammy behaviour. Facebook is also testing duplicate video tags that link directly to the original creator.
What counts as unoriginal content
According to Meta, reposting videos, images, or text without permission or significant edits violates its monetization rules. By contrast, reaction videos, commentary, and transformative content remain eligible.
The policy also addresses AI-assisted compilations, urging creators to prioritise authentic storytelling and avoid low-effort, recycled material.
Impact on creators
For creators producing original videos or adding commentary and context to third-party content, these changes may improve visibility as low-quality reposts are removed. However, those relying heavily on recycled content risk losing monetization and reach.
To help, Meta has added new post-level insights in its Professional Dashboard and tools to check whether a page is at risk of penalties.
Best practices to stay compliant
Meta recommends:
- Posting mostly original content filmed or created by you
- Adding narration, editing, or commentary to third-party material
- Prioritising storytelling over short, low-value reposts
- Avoiding recycled clips with watermarks or poor production quality
Looking ahead
Meta’s update, alongside YouTube’s recent policy change, signals an industry-wide crackdown on unoriginal content. The new standard emphasises originality, creativity, and value for audiences.
For creators, the era of easy monetization through reposts is ending. Growth on platforms like Facebook and YouTube now depends on unique expression and meaningful input.
