Facebook changing how it identifies ‘fake news’ stories

  • Had put ‘disputed’ labels on stories fact-checkers found false
  • Now it will bring up ‘related articles’ next to the false stories that give context from fact-checkers on the stories’ problems
  •  Found red flag next to an article ‘may actually entrench deeply held beliefs’

Facebook says it is changing how it identifies ‘fake news’ stories on its platform to a more effective system.

The social-media network had put ‘disputed’ labels on stories that fact-checkers found false. 

Instead, now it will bring up ‘related articles’ next to the false stories that give context from fact-checkers on the stories’ problems.

Facebook says it is changing how it identifies ‘fake news’ stories on its platform to a more effective system. The social-media network had put ‘disputed’ labels on stories that fact-checkers found false. Instead, now it will bring up ‘related articles’ next to the false stories that give context from fact-checkers on the stories’ problems.

Facebook said Wednesday that in its tests, fewer hoax articles were shared when they had fact-checkers’ articles spooled up next to them than when they were labeled with ‘disputed’ flags.

The new approach also may help speed up the fact-checking system, which sometimes worked too slowly . 

Now information from just one checker can be shown next to the false story. 

The labeling system required two fact-checkers.

‘Academic research on correcting misinformation has shown that putting a strong image, like a red flag, next to an article may actually entrench deeply held beliefs – the opposite effect to what we intended,’ Facebook said.

‘Related Articles, by contrast, are simply designed to give more context, which our research has shown is a more effective way to help people get to the facts. 

‘Indeed, we’ve found that when we show Related Articles next to a false news story, it leads to fewer shares than when the Disputed Flag is shown.’



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk