Facebook to crack down on unoriginal, copycat content

Meta removed 10 million fake profiles impersonating creators as part of a broader push to clean up your Feed.
 By 
Christianna Silva
 on 
The Facebook logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen.
Facebook is trying to do something about all the stolen content in your feed Credit: Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

It can be frustrating to swipe through your Facebook Feed and be inundated with accounts dedicated to stealing other people's work, impersonating people, and generally participating in copycat antics. But Facebook is trying to put a stop to that slop.

In April, Meta implemented changes aimed at improving the Feed experience by reducing spammy content tactics used to boost views, gain followers, and monetize inauthentically, ultimately leading to a less enjoyable scrolling experience. The platform announced it would reduce the reach of, or completely remove, accounts that engage in this behavior, while boosting visibility for those who share original content.

In a Monday blog post, Meta said it "took action on" 500,000 accounts engaged in spammy behavior during the first half of 2025 by "applying measures ranging from demoting their comments and reducing the distribution of their content to preventing these accounts from monetizing." The platform also took down 10 million profiles impersonating large content producers.


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"But there’s more to do. Too often, the same meme or video pops up repeatedly ‑ sometimes from accounts pretending to be the creator and other times from different spammy accounts. It dulls the experience for all and makes it harder for fresh voices to break through," Meta wrote in its blog post.

Going forward, accounts that repeatedly reuse others' videos, photos, or text posts without proper transformation or credit will lose access to Facebook's monetization programs and see a drop in overall content distribution. Facebook also said it will reduce the visibility of duplicated videos "so that original creators can get the visibility that they deserve." These changes will roll out gradually over the coming months.

If you're worried these new protocols will affect your work, Facebook says you can do a few things: post original content, make meaningful enhancements, tell a story, avoid watermarks, and use high-quality captions.

Topics Facebook Meta

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Christianna Silva
Senior Culture Reporter

Christianna Silva is a senior culture reporter covering social platforms and the creator economy, with a focus on the intersection of social media, politics, and the economic systems that govern us. Since joining Mashable in 2021, they have reported extensively on meme creators, content moderation, and the nature of online creation under capitalism.

Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow her on Bluesky @christiannaj.bsky.social and Instagram @christianna_j.

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