Meta is targeting recycled content, here’s what creators need to know and why originality now matters more than ever.

Meta has announced a shift in how it evaluates and promotes content across Facebook and Instagram, unveiling new policies aimed at reducing the visibility of unoriginal posts. The update targets the growing trend of recycled material, particularly low-effort reposts of viral videos, memes, and AI-generated media with little or no transformation.

Under the new guidelines, Meta will begin actively demoting or removing content that doesn’t demonstrate originality or meaningful contribution. Pages and creators who rely heavily on aggregating other people’s work, reposting TikToks, or pushing AI-generated clips without context or commentary may soon find themselves penalized in reach and even revenue.

This shift directly impacts monetization. Meta says that accounts engaging in unoriginal behavior may be excluded from features like in-stream ads, bonuses, and the Reels Play program. Their posts may also be pulled from recommendation feeds like Explore and Reels tabs, cutting off access to broader audiences. Creators who depend on engagement farming, posting viral content with minimal effort or value added, could see a sharp drop in exposure.

The company has clarified that transformative content is still safe. Remixes, parodies, educational commentary, and other formats that build on existing work are considered original, so long as the creator contributes something meaningful. However, simply copying or re-uploading trending videos, even if they’re popular, won’t cut it anymore.

Meta’s decision comes as platforms face increasing criticism over the flood of repetitive, AI-generated, or derivative content. As attention spans shorten and recommendation algorithms dominate what users see, the pressure to prioritize quality and authenticity has grown. Meta’s move signals an effort to reclaim trust and preserve value for genuine creators, especially as competition with TikTok and YouTube heats up.

For creators, this means that originality is no longer just encouraged, it’s essential. The days of riding trends with lazy reposts are numbered. Moving forward, Meta wants to reward those who bring something fresh, personal, or insightful to the table. In a digital landscape dominated by copies and clones, being real might finally pay off.

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