Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, and Instagram, plans to exclude paid advertisements from its upcoming "Community Notes" feature, according to a recent report by Reuters. 

'Community Notes' shares a similar approach to the initiative used in X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, which is expected to launch later this year.

The Community Notes feature is designed to provide context and additional information for posts shared on Meta's platforms, but its initial rollout will be limited to organic content, which refers to posts not promoted through paid advertising, according to the report.

The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the development, suggested that organic posts from brands and influencers might also be excluded from the programme during its initial phase. 

A Meta spokesperson stated that the transition to Community Notes in the United States would occur in the coming months, with ongoing evaluation and improvements throughout the year.

This rollout marks a significant shift in Meta's strategy for managing political and potentially misleading content. The company recently dismantled its U.S. fact-checking programme and announced plans to implement 'Community Notes' ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.

If the claims of the report prove accurate and Meta does exclude paid advertisements, misinformation could potentially circulate through misleading posts categorised as ads on Facebook and Instagram. This exclusion may leave a critical gap in the platform's ability to address false or deceptive content, as such posts would fall outside the scope of the 'Community Notes' initiative.