After coming under fire for being a popular foundation to spread false news from, Facebook has finally released a new feature which automatically screens what you’re about to post in the form of a pop up window.
Although it’s not yet functional/visible for all users, some American Facebook users reported viewing a pop up message indicating that the article was proven false by independant fact checkers.
The message reads as follows: “Disputed by multiple, independent fact-checkers. “Before you share this content, you might want to know that the fact-checking sites, Snopes.com and Associated Press disputed its accuracy.”
For example, many are reporting that the message appears concerning a story about an “Irish slave trade” — nothing but a false conspiracy theory which is simply untrue. This topic has been trending as of late on Facebook due to St Patrick’s Day.
Facebook said they wanted to screen content with the aim of giving their users more content in order for them to decide what is trustworthy and what to share or not to share.
If a story is deemed untrue, it will be indicated that it has been disputed and there will be a link to an article with an explanation as to why. Furthermore, articles deemed false will only show up lower in the newsfeed.
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