This move, according to the platform, aims to provide users with more power over its algorithm….reports Asian Lite News
Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has made a significant move by giving US users control over fact-checked content.
This move, according to the platform, aims to provide users with more power over its algorithm. However, some analysts argue that it could benefit purveyors of misinformation, AFP reported.
Previously, Facebook’s algorithm automatically downranked flagged posts, reducing the visibility of false or misleading content. Now, with the new “content reduced by fact-checking” option in settings, users can choose to make debunked posts appear higher or lower in their feed.
They can also maintain the status quo. The option “reduce more” makes fact-checked posts less visible, potentially moving them even lower or out of the feed entirely. Conversely, the “don’t reduce” option boosts the visibility of such content.
Meta stated that this update is a response to users’ desire for greater control over their feed. The fact-checking option was rolled out in May, with users discovering it in the settings.
This development takes place against the backdrop of a politically polarized climate in the US, where content moderation on social media platforms has become a contentious issue.
Conservative advocates claim that the government has coerced or colluded with platforms like Facebook and Twitter to censor or suppress right-leaning content under the pretense of fact-checking.