In the battle against fake news, Facebook has rolled out a solution. The new tool will tag fake news stories posted on the site as "Disputed."
What Facebook's Tool For Fake News?
In an article at Fortune, Gizmodo was the first to report on Facebook's new "Disputed" tag feature. The new feature will appear beneath stories on the site that are dubbed as "fake news."
How Does It Work?
Facebook users will have the option to report news stories posted on Facebook that are suspected of being fake. After reporting it, it will be reviewed by independent third-party fact-checkers. These fact-checkers are signatories of the non-partisan Poynter Code of Principles. If the reported news story posted at Facebook is found to be fake, it will be marked as "Disputed" by these fact-checkers.
Who Are These Fact-Checkers?
According to reports, all fact-checkers are required to sign a "Code of Principles" created by the journalism non-profit Poynter. It was launched back in September and signed by 35 organizations from 27 countries which emphasize the importance of transparency and a non-partisan approach. To name a few of its signatories, it includes Africa Check, Chequedo, Poltifact, Snopes, Washington Post's Fact Checker and much more.
What Is/Are The Poynter Code Of Principles?
The code of principles is for organizations that regularly publish non-partisan reports on the accuracy of statements by public figures, major institutions, and other widely circulated claims of interest to society. The principles are commitment to non-partisanship and fairness, commitment to transparency of sources, commitment to transparency of funding and organization, commitment to transparency of methodology, and commitment to open and honest correction.
The "Issues" About Facebook's Solution Against Fake News
Though Facebook's "Disputed" tag feature is intended to abolish fake news once and for all, it is reported by Gizmodo that there will other new issues to address. First, it is predicted that there will be cries of "censorship" once a news story posted on Facebook will be tagged as "Disputed," especially the ones that fall under the politics genre.
Second, aside from asking whether the "Disputed" tag feature will play a major role in eradicating fake news stories, it is also important to perhaps ask as to why people should trust a single website to decide what is and isn't worth seeing online. Apparently, it seems that it will be a solid compromise that will leave both fact-checkers and free speech absolutists unsatisfied.
