Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg continues to face criticism from those who believe fake news on the social network is causing real-world issues. Over the past couple weeks, he has responded to the issue multiple times. His latest response lays out the network’s plan for addressing fake news.
The most important thing we can do is improve our ability to classify misinformation. This means better technical systems to detect what people will flag as false before they do it themselves. – Zuckerberg
It appears the site is creating another algorithm update that’ll improve the detection of fake stories. Machine learning will help Facebook automatically detect problematic content based on similarities with previously flagged stories.
The bottom line is: We take misinformation seriously. Our goal is to connect people with the stories they find most meaningful, and we know people want accurate information, – Zuckerberg
He’s continued to take the stance that outright removing content isn’t something Facebook plans to engage in. As for using other tactics, it is a complex issue, “both technically and philosophically.”
Facebook will use its detection of fake news to warn users about what they’re seeing. If you notice content has been flagged, it may not have the same impact.
Detection improvements will also come from Facebook working with third-party groups that engage in fact-checking.
Some of these ideas will work well, and some will not. But I want you to know that we have always taken this seriously, we understand how important the issue is for our community and we are committed to getting this right. – Zuckerberg
