Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, has announced the end of its third-party fact-checking programme.

This will now be replaced with a “community notes” feature similar to that on X, where commenting on the accuracy of posts is left to users.

In a video posted alongside a blog post by the company on Tuesday, Met chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said third-party moderators were “too politically biased” and it was “time to get back to our roots around free expression”.

The move comes as Mr Zuckerberg and other tech executives seek to improve relations with US President-elect Donald Trump before he takes office later this month.

Mr Trump and his Republican allies have criticised Meta for its fact-checking policy, calling it censorship of right-wing voices.

BBC News says Mr Trump told a news conference today that he was impressed by Zuckerberg’s decision and that Meta had “come a long way”.

When asked whether Mr Zuckerberg was “directly responding” to threats made by Mr Trump in the past, the incoming US president responded: “Probably”.