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Portada: Meta Follows YouTube: Facebook Cracks Down on Unoriginal Content

Meta Follows YouTube: Facebook Cracks Down on Unoriginal Content

By Alberto Luengo|07/16/25
content creationsocial mediabrand strategyugcanalyticsai editingmonetisation
Meta is slashing reach and revenue for unoriginal and recycled content—forcing creators to double down on authenticity and value.

In the wake of YouTube’s AI and disclosure updates, Meta is now tightening the screws on ‘unoriginal’ content. Brands, creators, and social media managers using UGC scraping or recycled posts are seeing reach and monetisation slashed. The future? Only transformative, brand-owned content will thrive on Facebook’s new terms.

Meta Follows YouTube: Facebook’s New Crackdown on “Unoriginal” Content

After a year of AI panic, recycled memes, and mass content republishing, Meta (Facebook) is making a major move: as of mid-July, the platform is actively cracking down on what it calls “unoriginal” content—directly affecting both feed distribution and monetisation opportunities for brands, creators, and agencies.

What’s Actually Changing?

Meta’s July policy update is sweeping:

  • Roughly 500,000 spammy accounts were penalised in the first half of 2025 alone, with monetisation features suspended or permanently banned.
  • Over 10 million impersonator profiles were removed, targeting those posing as celebrities, brands, or viral meme pages.
  • Accounts posting recycled, UGC-scraped, or plagiarism-heavy content—especially those recycling viral posts without significant transformation—are being hit with both reduced reach and demoted ad-comp revenue.
  • Facebook reports a 46% drop in reach for posts flagged as unoriginal since March.

Creators and social media managers relying on mass reposting, viral feed scraping, or stock content uploads are already seeing their numbers collapse.

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Why This Matters for Brands and Creators

This shift signals a deep pivot in Meta’s strategy:

  • Originality, transformation, and brand context are now essential. Simple reposts, low-effort edits, or faceless compilation videos will struggle to earn traction or revenue.

  • The new policies target not just spam, but also the gray area of content “remixing” without real value-add.

  • For UGC-driven brands and agencies, this means rethinking the content funnel: no more relying on what’s already viral—focus instead on narrative, commentary, or at least custom overlays that establish clear brand ownership.

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How to Adapt: The New Playbook for Facebook Content

1. Re-evaluate Content Sourcing:

  • Move away from scraping, pure UGC re-sharing, and stock reposts.
  • Invest in content that starts with your story, your take, or your in-house visuals.

2. Embed Brand Narrative:

  • Every replay or viral remix should include context—why is it relevant to your audience? What’s your POV?
  • Custom intros, branded commentary, or value-driven overlays can transform repurposed content into real assets.

3. Embrace Creative Transformation:

  • Meta’s guidance is clear: the more original, the better.
  • Use AI editing or content automation tools to accelerate your workflow, but ensure the final output reflects your brand voice and adds genuine insight.

4. Track Performance Closely:

  • Use analytics to monitor how changes in format, style, and originality impact reach, engagement, and monetisation.

  • Adjust quickly: Meta’s content ranking is shifting in real time.

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The Takeaway: Brand Voice Wins, Slop Loses

As Facebook tightens its rules, the winners will be those who go beyond copy-paste content.
Original storytelling, authentic brand perspective, and transformative editing will be the foundation of successful content and social media strategy on Meta’s platforms.

Looking to upgrade your content and automate original edits at scale? Try Rkive AI—built for brands and creators who want to stay ahead of the next algorithm wave.