Meta says it has made substantial headway in its fight against content theft and spam on Facebook, cracking down on unoriginal content while increasing visibility for genuine creators.
This latest development, which began earlier this year, is part of what Meta calls a “long-term initiative” to improve user experience and give rightful visibility to genuine creators.
In the first half of 2025 alone, the company penalised approximately 500,000 accounts linked to spam behaviour or fake engagement. Offenders faced reduced distribution of their content, demotion of their comments, and were barred from monetisation programmes.
Meta also deactivated about 10 million fake profiles that were impersonating popular content producers.
Meta admits this case is far from over, as feeds remain cluttered with recycled memes and videos, usually reposted by accounts impersonating creators or by outright spam channels. “It dulls the experience for all and makes it harder for fresh voices to break through,” Meta noted.
Now, Facebook is introducing tougher penalties for accounts engaging in what it defines as unoriginal content. This refers to material that is reused or reposted from other creators repeatedly, often without credit or any meaningful transformation.
While reaction videos and trend participation are welcomed, the endless reposting of another person’s work without permission or value addition is now in Meta’s crosshairs.
Under the new guidelines, accounts repeatedly uploading such content will face two major consequences: loss of access to Facebook monetisation for a period and significantly reduced distribution for all their content.
Meta’s detection systems will also suppress duplicate videos, ensuring that original creators “get the visibility that they deserve.” In an ongoing experiment, Meta is testing direct links on copied content that will redirect viewers to the original creator.
For creators seeking better visibility and monetisation, Meta offers clear guidance: post original work. Content created or filmed personally will always be prioritised in distribution.
While it’s acceptable to use approved content from other sources, Meta stresses the importance of meaningful enhancement, through creative editing, voiceovers, or commentary. “Simply stitching together clips or adding your watermark does not qualify as meaningful enhancement,” the company stated.
Additional best practices include telling engaging stories, avoiding recycled short videos with little value, staying away from third-party watermarks, and keeping captions concise and relevant. According to Meta, captions with no links, minimal capital letters, and no more than five hashtags perform best.
To help creators track their content’s reach, Facebook now provides post-level insights in the Professional Dashboard. This tool allows users to understand why certain posts may not be performing well and identify potential risks of recommendation or monetisation penalties via the Support home screen on their page’s main menu.
In closing, Meta reiterated its stand: “Facebook aims to be a place where original content thrives, and creators are rewarded for their hard work and creativity.”
The new measures will be rolled out gradually in the coming months. Creators are urged to monitor their accounts closely and adapt swiftly, as Meta’s focus for authentic content becomes a requirement.
