Facebook doubles down on original creators, removed 20 million impersonator accounts in 2025

Facebook has announced sweeping changes to how it prioritizes content, rewarding original creators with greater reach and monetization while cracking down on copycats and impersonators who crowd out authentic voices.

The social media platform deleted over 20 million accounts impersonating major content creators in 2025, leading to a 33% decrease in impersonation reports related to these creators. It also said that views and time spent watching original Reels on Facebook approximately doubled in the second half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.

Meta announced the updates in a blog post detailing clearer content guidelines, enhanced protection tools, and stronger enforcement against unoriginal content.

What counts as original content now

Facebook has updated its content guidelines to more clearly define what qualifies as original content and what will be deprioritised in Feed and Reels recommendations.

Content created by the owner of a profile is original. Reels featuring third-party content can also be original if they showcase the creator sharing new insights or significant improvements to a story.

However, simply watching along, reacting with facial expressions, stitching multiple clips together, or narrating what’s already on screen without adding anything meaningful is considered unoriginal and will likely be deprioritized in Feed and Reels.

Content that is duplicated or has just minor edits will be seen as unoriginal and given less priority. This includes reposting content you didn’t create or making minimal changes, like adding borders or captions.

Creators who infuse creativity into their content will have their videos eligible for recommendations in Reels and Feed, potentially leading to greater distribution. In contrast, creators who do not add significant creative value to their work may have their content deprioritized.

If they continue to post primarily unoriginal content, their accounts could be classified as non-recommendable and subject to demonetization.

Similar read: Discovery that Meta staff watch users’ Ray-Ban recordings raises privacy concerns

New Facebook tools to detect impersonation

In addition to prioritizing original content, Facebook is developing new tools to assist creators in protecting their work and expanding their audiences.

The company introduced content protection last year to help creators safeguard their original Facebook Reels and take action when matches are found. Facebook is now testing improvements to this tool to detect impersonation and streamline the reporting process for creators.

The new capability will soon be available to more creators using content protection. Creators can check their professional dashboard for access to the content protection tool or apply for access through Facebook’s help center.

Creators always have the option to appeal decisions regarding originality, and Meta said it is continually working to improve the accuracy of its enforcement.

Meta is facing increasing pressure to support original creators who express frustration over platforms that favor aggregators and copycats, who repost content without permission or proper credit.

By clearly defining what constitutes originality and enforcing these standards, Facebook aims to change the incentive structure to promote authentic content creation.

The post Facebook doubles down on original creators, removed 20 million impersonator accounts in 2025 first appeared on Technext.