This isn’t fake news: Facebook is now alerting its users when they try to post articles disputed by third-party fact-checking organizations.
If users ignore the warning and continue to post, another warning pops up with links to websites that have disputed the claims made in the story he or she is trying to share. The company partnered with signatories of Poynter’s “non-partisan code of principles,” Quartz reports. These outlets include the Associated Press, Politifact, and Snopes, among others.
The warnings are part of a response to mounting criticism against the social media giant’s role in the spread of disinformation during the 2016 election. Adam Mosseri, Facebook’s News Feed Vice President, announced the initiative to combat fake news on its platform in December.
Aside from alerts before posting, the plan gives Facebook users the ability to flag posts as fake news. The company is incorporating this into its News Feed algorithm to avoid sharing inaccurate reporting or flat-out hoaxes.
In his December press release, Mosseri also said the company is working to eliminate financial incentives for those publishing fake news. Learn more in the video below.
—RealClearLife
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