Facebook creators who steal and repost videos could lose monetization

Facebook is cracking down on accounts that steal and repost content from other users in an effort to reduce spam in feeds. Meta announced on Monday that creators who repeatedly reuse someone else’s videos, photos, or text posts will lose access to Facebook monetization programs for “a period of time,” and see reduced distribution of their posts on the platform.

“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,” the company explained in its blog post. “It dulls the experience for all and makes it harder for fresh voices to break through.”

When Facebook’s systems detect duplicate videos, the platform will reduce the distribution of the copies to prevent them from taking views away from the original creator. Meta says it’s also exploring ways to give creators the credit they deserve, such as testing a feature that adds links directing viewers to the original content.

The changes will start rolling out gradually over the coming months, according to Meta’s post. There’s no mention of whether Meta will introduce features for reducing repetitive content on its Instagram and Threads platforms.

The Facebook changes are part of a larger effort to tackle spam and make original content more visible in feeds. The site has already taken action against 500,000 accounts in the first half of 2025 that engaged in spammy behavior or fake engagement. YouTube is making a similar push to tackle spammy, reposted content, announcing last week that it was updating its policies regarding mass-produced and repetitive videos, which have become far easier to churn out en masse thanks to increasing access to generative AI tools.

Meta says the incoming change is designed to address “unoriginal content,” and shouldn’t impact creators who “add their unique take” when they reshare content, add commentary in a reaction video, or join in on a viral trend. The Facebook announcement includes some best practices to help creators avoid being penalized, such as adding meaningful edits, voiceovers, or commentary to reused content. It also suggests creators avoid using “visible third-party watermarks and content that is visibly recycled from other apps or sources.”