In response to rising criticism that Facebook did not do enough to combat fake news, the company announced last Thursday that it will introduce tools to prevent fake news stories from spreading on its platform. The social network company stressed that the new features are part of an ongoing process to refine and test how it deals with fake news. It has faced complaints this year involving how it monitors and polices content produced by its 1.8 billion users.
Facebook said users will find it easier to flag fake articles on their News Feed as a hoax, and it will work with organisations such as fact-checking website Snopes, ABC News and the Associated Press to check the authenticity of stories.
If such organisations identify a story as fake, Facebook said, it will get flagged as “disputed” and be linked to the corresponding article explaining why. The company said disputed stories may appear lower in its news feed, adding that once a story is flagged, it cannot be promoted.