Facebook to warn users who 'liked' coronavirus hoaxes
Source: AP
By BARBARA ORTUTAY and AMANDA SEITZ
Facebook will soon let you know if you shared or interacted with dangerous coronavirus misinformation on the site, the latest in a string of aggressive efforts the social media giant is taking to contain an outbreak of viral falsehoods.
The new notice will be sent to users who have clicked on, reacted to, or commented on posts featuring harmful or false claims about COVID-19 after they have been removed by moderators. The alert, which will start appearing on Facebook in the coming weeks, will direct users to a site where the World Health Organization lists and debunks virus myths and rumors.
Facebook, Google and Twitter are introducing stricter rules, altered algorithms and thousands of fact checks to stop the spread of bad misinformation online about the virus.
Challenges remain. Tech platforms have sent home human moderators who police the platforms, forcing them to rely on automated systems to take down harmful content. They are also up against peoples mistrust of authoritative sources for information, such as the WHO.
This undated image provided by Facebook shows the Facebook app on a cellular telephone. Facebook will soon let you know if you shared or interacted with dangerous coronavirus misinformation on the site, the latest in a string of aggressive efforts the social media giant is taking to contain an outbreak of viral falsehoods. (Facebook via AP)
Read more: https://apnews.com/348d772c8a5e305fb8006aae0a8cab84
KPN
(15,662 posts)Related to Covid-19 and other viral info? Thanks but no thanks. Better to just boycott Facebook entirely.
pnwmom
(108,996 posts)to figure out which sources are reliable and which are not.
KPN
(15,662 posts)pnwmom
(108,996 posts)KPN
(15,662 posts)job of what posts/info should be flagged and readers directed to WHO. FB has not been trustworthy whatsoever in defending democracy. Why would I trust them to do a good job with this?
pnwmom
(108,996 posts)have one more chance to see it.
If all the science-supporting people left Facebook, I don't think that would help. As it is, I've frequently had people thank me for posting as I do.
KPN
(15,662 posts)Gore1FL
(21,152 posts)They are an imperfect brand, but at least they are making an effort to counter the misinformation about this issue. I submit we should probably contain our criticism of them to what they are doing wrong.
KPN
(15,662 posts)I'm okay with that. Me? I'm just not giving FB the benefit of the doubt anymore. They've earned my skepticism plus some as far as I'm concerned. I'll praise them when they actually show results. At this point, it's just "public relations" as far as I'm concerned. Admittedly, I'm a skeptic when it comes to larger corporations/big money.
MosheFeingold
(3,051 posts)You have Trump, who is an idiot, on one side.
And then on the other, you have an organization that is a shill for Big Pharma (and a revolving door, to boot) and the Chinese Communist Party, which is guilty of the largest genocide of the 21st Century (Uyghurs -- no one cares because they are Muslim), and clearly lied about the severity of the problem (and possibly its source).
It's a tough call, actually.
I prefer to distrust them both.
And distrust giant corporations like Facebook to have our best interest in mind.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)However, I know billions of idiots trust Putin's Platforms, so any actual disinfection of their polluted content is welcome.
Initech
(100,104 posts)nilram
(2,894 posts)Delete them! Maybe the users, too, theyre probably bots, most of them.
greyl
(22,990 posts)nilram
(2,894 posts)Blue Owl
(50,514 posts)With the user on a cheesy-looking fake roller coaster with the false info bot
Sloumeau
(2,657 posts)That weasel Zuckerberg started his company by stealing someone else's idea.
WVreaper
(623 posts)Just asking.
Hekate
(90,829 posts)orleans
(34,074 posts)back in 2016 with the election crap that was rampant on fb
(we might not have found ourselves in this desperate situation if fb had alerted idiot users to bot posts, r.t. posts, bullshit fox news "opinions" concealed as "truths." and too bad fb said they won't be bothered with crap like that for this election season)
IronLionZion
(45,540 posts)it turned out CNBC sensationalized it and drew different conclusions from what the CDC had reported. Their story completely ignored the half-life of the viral load on various materials.
People are afraid and online more often during stay at home so these stories can draw a lot of attention and panic.