Facebook has finalized arrangement to launch a resource to help you spot false news and misleading information that spreads on its service.
The resource, similar to previous efforts around privacy and security, is basically a notification that pops up for a few days. Clicking on it takes you to tips and other information on how to spot false news and what to do about it.
Tips to spot false news include looking closely at website addresses to see if they are trying to spoof real news sites, and checking websites’ “about” sections for more information. Some sites might look like real news at first glance, but their “about” sections inform the visitor that they are in fact satire.
Adam Mosseri, Vice President of News Feed at Facebook, said he hopes people will become “more discerning consumers” of news.
The new feature is part of a broader plan by Facebook to clamp down false news stories, which gained outsized attention in the months leading up to the 2016 US presidential election.
Facebook’s other efforts include the creation, with other companies, groups and tech leaders, of a “news integrity” nonprofit to promote news literacy and increase the public’s trust in journalism. A nascent Facebook Journalism Project, meanwhile, is a lofty effort to work with news organisations to develop products, provide tools for journalists and generally promote trust in news.