Meta deletes 10 million Facebook accounts this year, but why?

Fox News

4 days ago

Facebook, being a platform used by billions, is flooded with all kinds of accounts. However, not all of them are genuine. Many are bots that often hijack comment sections, posting the same messages repeatedly. There are also accounts that have built their entire follower base by sharing content originally created by others.
Meta seems to have realized the platform needs some cleaning, and it has announced that a staggering 10 million accounts were deleted in the first half of 2025 alone. The purge, it seems, is far from over.
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Meta says it deleted around 10 million accounts in the first half of 2025, mostly for impersonation, spam behavior and fake engagement. This is part of a broader effort to promote original content and clean up the platform and prioritize original content. The accounts were taken down for impersonating large content producers, according to the company, which shared the update in a blog post aimed at creators.
The crackdown is part of a broader initiative "to make Feed more relevant and help authentic creators break through," with Meta starting by "cracking down on spammy content."
In addition to the 10 million impersonator accounts, the company says it took action on around 500,000 accounts engaged in spammy behavior or fake engagement. The company is also enforcing stricter policies to cut down on what it calls unoriginal content. It defines this as posts that repeatedly reuse or repurpose another creator's work without giving credit.
Meta says it's not targeting creators who participate in trends or remix existing content. What matters is whether they add something original to the mix. The company encourages reaction videos, commentary and other transformative uses of content.
But accounts that repeatedly repost others' work without permission or meaningful changes will face consequences. These actions include reducing how widely Meta shows their content and temporarily disabling access to monetization features. If Meta's systems detect duplicate videos, the platform will prioritize the original version and limit the reach of the copies.
The company is also experimenting with ways to credit original creators more clearly, such as adding links back to the source video. To help creators maintain visibility and reach, Meta recommends focusing on original content, avoiding third-party watermarks and making substantial edits when using material from other sources. Basic stitching or watermarking, the company notes, doesn't count as a meaningful transformation.
Meta's crackdown isn't just about removing spam. It directly affects how content is ranked, shown and monetized. For creators, especially smaller ones trying to expand an audience, originality now plays a bigger role than ever. If your content is flagged as unoriginal or spammy, Facebook may stop showing it in people's feeds. That can tank your reach and, in some cases, cut off access to monetization tools like in-stream ads or bonus programs.
On the flip side, creators who focus on making unique content or thoughtfully transforming existing media have a better shot at standing out. Meta says it's adjusting its algorithms to boost authentic voices. That could help original creators gain more traction if they play by the new rules.
To prevent Meta from flagging or removing your Facebook account under its new policies, especially if you're a creator or post content regularly, follow these key steps:
1. Post original content. Share content you created yourself, whether it's photos, videos, text or anything else. Meta is more likely to penalize accounts that mostly rely on reposted or recycled material.
2. Transform content if you reuse it. If you're sharing someone else's content (with permission or under fair use), add real value. Think reaction videos, voiceover, commentary or edits that change the context or experience. Simply stitching clips together or slapping on a watermark won't cut it.
3. Avoid impersonation and spam tactics. Don't pretend to be another creator or brand, and don't rely on engagement bait (like spamming comment sections or repetitive hashtags). Meta is actively removing accounts that engage in fake interactions.
4. Avoid using visible third-party watermarks. If your video shows clear signs of being recycled from another app, such as a TikTok watermark, Meta may flag it. Upload clean versions without logos or branding from other platforms.
Meta cracking down on spam and fake accounts is a step in the right direction, especially for creators who've been struggling to get noticed. Facebook has been messy for a while now, with the same videos and memes popping up from different pages and bots flooding comment sections.
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