Facebook says it will stop flagging fake news as “disputed,” opting instead to offer up contradictory stories containing facts that have been checked.
The change comes as the leading online social network strives to stymie use of its platform to spread bogus information.
Lessons learned thus far in the effort to combat fake news include the fact that dispelling misinformation is challenging, especially if it involves what people are already determined to believe, say Facebook experts Jeff Smith, a product designer, user experience researcher Grace Jackson and content strategist Seetha Raj, in an online post.
Employees of the Competence Call Center (CCC) work for the Facebook Community Operations Team in Essen, Germany, November 23, 2017. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
“Just because something is marked as ‘false’ or ‘disputed’ doesn’t necessarily mean we will be able to change someone’s opinion about its accuracy,” they say. “In fact, some research suggests that strong language or visualizations (like a bright red flag) can backfire and further entrench someone’s beliefs.”
Drawbacks to ‘disputed’ flags include requiring people to click through in pursuit of further information, and needing more fact-checkers than are sometimes available, according to Facebook. It was found to be more effective to offer fact-checked articles on the same subject before someone clicked a link to a story considered dubious.
— AFP
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