Here’s everything Facebook wants publishers to know about News Feed

Facebook has a message for publishers: we like you, really.

On Tuesday, Facebook released a handbook for publishers that describes the company's principles for journalism and other tips on navigating the platform. The guidelines overall seem aspirational in what it hopes its 2 billion users want out of the platform: "meaningful content" over clickbait.

But it's an important move for Facebook to be more transparent. Publishers have grown wary of Facebook and its continuous changes that have sent millions of people to their websites, but also fluctuated as Facebook prioritizes other content like native video. Just the day prior, publishers raised concerns about a test to move their content out of the main News Feed and into a secondary feed unless they choose to pay.

"I think people underestimate how many times we test," said Facebook's VP of News Feed Adam Mosseri, speaking at an event Tuesday at CUNY Journalism School. "Our mission is to connect people with the stories that matter to them ... I understand there's a decent amount of concern. We could have communicated it better."

The tips aren't brand new. Facebook released these so-called "publisher principles" back in May:

1. People on Facebook value content that's meaningful and informative

2. People on Facebook value accurate, authentic content

3. People on Facebook value standards for safe, respectful behavior

But on Tuesday, Facebook shared a 50-page document that more clearly outlines what the company believes works (informative and meaningful stories) and doesn't work (clickbait) on the platform. That's tough to believe after years of clickbait sites and fake news publishers. Yet, over the last year since the 2016 election, Facebook has been trying to curb all of that.

"Most of this is targeted at bad actors," Mosseri said. "It's important to understand what we're doing and why so you don't get caught in the cross-hairs."

The document is the latest sign that Facebook is trying to better embrace its role as one of the world’s largest distributors of news. Back in January, Facebook announced "the Facebook Journalism Project," an initiative to better collaborate with media outlets. This move comes after years of frustration from publishers with Facebook’s mysterious and ever-changing algorithm among other concerns.

Monday's news about the test for two separate feeds is just the latest example of publishers grabbing their pitchforks.

"We are a nervous bunch," said CUNY professor Jeff Jarvis, who co-hosted the event with Mosseri. "You said it's just a test, but we're going to read into this stuff."

Facebook issued a statement later Monday saying there were no plans to release it globally. Still, it's clear that publishers are wary of any moves by Facebook as they have grown reliant on the feed for distribution.

An attendee from NBC News asked if Facebook would ever be willing to reveal the thousands of tests they are currently running. Mosseri responded that Facebook does share what it believes to be major changes via blog posts, but it does not see a need to share everything.

"We want to be as transparent as possible, but we don’t want to distract," Mosseri said.

One way publishers on Facebook have found success is by sharing polarized content, noted an attendee from USA Today during the event. Facebook's Mosseri acknowledged the issue and suggested that these guidelines are meant to help with that.

"Maybe it's harder to tell a story that is going to resonate without playing on people's emotions, but it's definitely possible," Mosseri said.

Not every publisher is letting Facebook control them. For example, some of the biggest names in media stopped using Facebook’s Instant Articles product last year after they failed to see a good return.

Meanwhile, other publishers are building long-form video for Facebook's new Watch initiative (Mashable is a partner). And yet, typical for Facebook and publishers, these early days haven't been great for revenue.

“We believe that video is the paradigm shift, as large as the shift to mobile," Mosseri said. "We’re trying to figure out how to support that.”

For now, Facebook is splitting ad revenue for mid-roll ads but Mosseri suggested there could be more changes to come.

The event ended on a heavy note about whether or not the human race will regret the internet and what Facebook has helped support.

"Connecting everyone and giving everyone the ability to share isn’t always a good thing," Mosseri said. "I believe it will create more good than bad overall.”