Facebook Introduces The Pop-up Feature To Combat The Spread Of Fake News
May 11, 2021, 2:56 p.m.
Fake news, or fabricated content deceptively presented as real news, has over time pushed people into depression and in worse cases resulted in the death of individuals.
To combat the spread of fabricated content, Facebook has introduced a new feature that will prompt a user to read first before sharing.
The company announced on Twitter that it will start testing the pop-up feature which asks users if they are sure they want to share an article that they have not opened.
The pop-up will prompt users to read the article, but they can also choose to continue sharing it if they want.
According to The Verge, only 6% of Android users worldwide will be privy to the feature.
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Facebook says the pop-up is meant to help people be more informed about the articles they share, likely as an attempt to combat the spread of misinformation the platform has struggled with in the past. Individuals and governments have frequently accused Facebook of aiding the spread of fake news with its platforms, with 1,000 companies going as far as protesting by not advertising on the platform in July 2020.
As the message warns, not opening the article can lead to “missing key facts,” with headlines often not telling the whole story.
Similarly, in 2020, Twitter also started testing a feature that prompts users to read an article before they share it.
Verny Joy Author
Verny loves to write poetry, fiction and quotes. Her love for writing landed her in journalism. She loves gadgets and travelling to explore new places.