Meta cracks down on AI spam on Facebook with new monetization penalties for uninspired slop

Meta has announced new measures to combat AI-generated spam on Facebook, including removing monetization privileges and reducing content recommendations for accounts that repeatedly post unoriginal content. The policy targets the growing problem of AI programs creating thousands of variations of popular posts, which overwhelms platforms with synthetic material and hurts legitimate content creators.

What you should know: Meta’s updated policy requires content creators to add “meaningful enhancements” beyond simple watermarks or basic editing when sharing others’ work to avoid penalties.

• Content creators can still share and comment on others’ posts, but must contribute substantive value rather than simply reposting AI-generated variations.
• The platform will reduce distribution of duplicate videos and posts while testing attribution links that connect copied content to original creators.
• Users can now check within the platform if they’re at risk of content recommendation or monetization penalties.

The big picture: Meta has already taken significant action against spam accounts, removing 500,000 accounts engaged in spammy behavior and 10 million profiles impersonating content creators in the first half of 2025.

• The crackdown specifically targets what industry observers call “AI slop”—repetitive, artificially generated content flooding social feeds.
• Unlike traditional content theft requiring human effort, AI programs can now produce thousands of slight variations of popular posts automatically.

Why this matters: The policy aims to protect legitimate content creators who have complained about AI-generated posts drowning out original work and making it harder for fresh voices to break through.

• “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,” the company wrote in a blog post.
• Facebook will prioritize original content in user feeds as part of the gradual rollout over the coming months.

Competitive landscape: Meta’s move follows similar action by YouTube, which introduced new rules in July targeting AI slop on YouTube Shorts.

• However, Meta’s AI-powered content moderation has faced criticism for false positives, with over 30,000 people signing a petition urging Meta to add human customer support to review cases.
• The changes represent a broader industry effort to maintain content quality as AI generation tools become more sophisticated and accessible.