Facebook is tweaking the News Feed yet again.
In its latest update, the social network is again going after News Feed spam, but this time is focusing on reducing the hoaxes that appear in users' feeds. Facebook defines hoaxes as scams or "deliberately false or misleading stories."
[seealso URL= "http://sale-online.click/2014/01/19/facebook-news-feed-curation/"]
Such posts, like the rumor that iOS 8 added the ability to recharge iPhones by putting them in a microwave (thanks, 4Chan), are deleted but reported twice as often as other types of posts, Facebook says.
Now, when users see a false news story -- either as a link, photo, or video post -- they can report it as false.
"This works in the same way as reporting a story as spam, Facebook explains on its blog. "When you click to hide a story you also have the option to report the content."
If a large number of users report or delete a post, Facebook's algorithms will automatically reduce its visibility in the News Feed. The company notes that it won't delete these types of posts, though it will add a message warning users that the post has been reported as containing false information. Stories intended to be satirical or humorous (think: The Onion) won't be affected by the update.
While the feature will probably help reduce News Feed spam, it's not clear whether Facebook will put any controls in place to prevent users from abusing the tool. As some have already pointed out, users could potentially report news stories they disagree with as being false to reduce visibility.
Will be interesting to see if the new Facebook "Fake News" option is gamed by people trying to bury legit news stories that they don't like.— alexei oreskovic (@lexnfx) January 20, 2015
The update is Facebook latest effort to make users' News Feeds more relevant. Previously, the social network cracked down on clickbait articles and unveiled new customization settings for News Feed.
BONUS: 5 Super Weird Facts About Facebook