Meta has introduced new measures on Facebook aimed at promoting original content and reducing copied or low-effort posts across its Feed and Reels features.

Key Takeaways:

• Facebook updated its content guidelines to clarify what qualifies as original content.
• Views and watch time for original Reels roughly doubled in the second half of 2025 compared with 2024.
• The platform removed more than 20 million impersonation accounts in 2025.
• Reports of impersonation targeting major creators dropped 33% last year.
• New tools will help creators detect and report impersonators directly from their dashboards.

The company said it has updated its guidelines to clarify how content originality is assessed. Posts created and filmed directly by a creator will be considered original, while duplicated posts or videos with only minor edits — such as adding captions, borders or speed changes — will be deprioritised in recommendations.

Content that simply reacts to existing videos without adding new information, analysis or storytelling may also see reduced reach.

Meta said the changes are already influencing engagement patterns. According to the company, views and watch time for original Reels on Facebook approximately doubled in the second half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.

Creators who consistently publish unoriginal content may see their posts recommended less often. In some cases, accounts could be marked as non-recommendable or lose access to monetisation features if copied material dominates their posts.

Creators can appeal decisions related to originality through Facebook’s existing review process.

Alongside the guideline changes, Meta is expanding tools designed to help creators protect their content. The company said it removed more than 20 million accounts impersonating large creators in 2025, and impersonation reports involving major creators fell 33% during the year.

Meta is now testing improvements to its Content Protection system. The feature automatically detects matches of a creator’s Reels across Meta’s platforms and allows creators to take action. The updated version will also flag potential impersonation and allow creators to submit reports directly through the tool.

The new capabilities are being gradually rolled out to more creators through their professional dashboards.

Social platforms are increasingly prioritising original content as competition intensifies among short-form video platforms such as TikTok and YouTube.

Copied videos and “reaction” clips have become common across platforms, raising concerns among creators about revenue loss and audience dilution. By redefining originality and reducing distribution of duplicated content, Meta is attempting to reinforce incentives for creators to produce original material.

Why It Matters

For creators, the update could significantly affect how content performs on Facebook. Accounts relying heavily on reposted or lightly edited videos may see reduced visibility and monetisation opportunities.

For Meta, the policy shift is part of a broader effort to retain creators and compete for short-form video audiences by rewarding original work and limiting copycat content.