Good news as Facebook Inc has said on Thursday that it will develop a tools to combat Facebook fake news that are spreading on its platform. This is coming in response to continued criticism that Facebook didn’t do anything to tackle the menace especially during the U.S. presidential elections and other major elections around the world.
The social media giant further reiterated that it has been monitoring and policing contents that are being deposited into the platform by over 1.8 billion users. It said that the tools that are being developed now will help to fine-tune the quality of contents on the platform and ultimately deal with Facebook fake news.
Read also: Simple ways to create Facebook #yearinreview 2016 video
Facebook said users will find it easier to flag fake articles on their News Feed as a hoax, and that it will work with organizations such as fact-checking website Snopes, ABC News and the Associated Press to check the authenticity of stories. If such organizations identify a story as fake, Facebook said, it will get flagged as “disputed” and be linked to the corresponding article explaining why.
Facebook users will be able to flag news as fake
Official statement from Mark Zuckerberg about Facebook Fake news
A few weeks ago, I outlined some projects we’re working on to build a more informed community and fight misinformation. Today, I want to share an update on work we’re starting to roll out.We have a responsibility to make sure Facebook has the greatest positive impact on the world. This update is just one of many steps forward, and there will be more work beyond this.
Facebook is a new kind of platform different from anything before it. I think of Facebook as a technology company, but I recognize we have a greater responsibility than just building technology that information flows through. While we don’t write the news stories you read and share, we also recognize we’re more than just a distributor of news. We’re a new kind of platform for public discourse — and that means we have a new kind of responsibility to enable people to have the most meaningful conversations, and to build a space where people can be informed.
With any changes we make, we must fight to give all people a voice and resist the path of becoming arbiters of truth ourselves. I believe we can build a more informed community and uphold these principles.
what Facebook is doing to tackle Facebook fake news
Today we’re making it easier to report hoaxes, and if many people report a story, then we’ll send it to third-party fact checking organizations. If the fact checkers agree a story is a hoax, you’ll see a flag on the story saying it has been disputed, and that story may be less likely to show up in News Feed. You’ll still be able to read and share the story, but you’ll now have more information about whether fact checkers believe it’s accurate. No one will be able to make a disputed story into an ad or promote it on our platform.
We’ve also found that if people who read an article are significantly less likely to share it than people who just read the headline that may be a sign it’s misleading. We’re going to start incorporating this signal into News Feed ranking.
These steps will help make spreading misinformation less profitable for spammers who make money by getting more people to visit their sites. And we’re also going to crack down on spammers who masquerade as well-known news organizations.
Read Also: 7 Nigerians social media made popular in 2016
You can read more about all of these updates here: http://newsroom.fb.com/?p=7014
This is just one of the many steps the social media giant is making to keep improving the quality of our service. So the bottom line is if you are in the habit of spreading rumours and fakes news, Facebook is readying for you. I also share Mark Zuckerberg’s stance on this issue, Facebook community should be safe for all to use. Stop spreading falsehood on the internet let’s make the Facebook community a better place for all.
