Facebook to emphasize ‘trustworthy’ news
Published 10:34 pm Friday, January 19, 2018
Facebook is announcing a second major tweak to its algorithm, saying it will prioritize news based on survey results of trustworthiness.
The company said in a blog post and Facebook post from CEO Mark Zuckerberg Friday that it is surveying users about their familiarity with and trust in news sources. That data will influence what users see.
Facebook announced last week that it would try to have users see fewer posts from publishers, businesses and celebrities, and more from friends and family. Zuckerberg said Friday because of that, news posts will make up 4 percent of the news feed , down from 5 percent today.
The changes come as Facebook has struggled to deal with fake news on its platform and Russian-linked content meant to influence the 2016 U.S. elections.
This Nov. 9, 2017, file photo shows Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg meeting with a group of entrepreneurs and innovators during a round-table discussion at Cortex Innovation Community technology hub in St. Louis. Facebook is announcing its second major tweak to its algorithm this month, saying it will prioritize news based on users’ votes. The company said in a blog post and Facebook post from Zuckerberg Friday, jan. 19, 2018, that it will survey users about how familiar they are with a news source and if they trust it.
