Fwd: Facebook to Flag and Filter Fake News in Germany

by Amna El Tawil
 
The federal elections in Germany are just around the corner and Facebook aims to put a stop to false rumors circling around. The fake news played a major role in the US election too and this kind of media influence can make a huge impact on voters. To prevent that, the biggest social media website in the world will start testing out a fake news filtering tool in Germany.
 

The move was, primarily, motivated by the fear of a proposed law in Germany which would levy a €500,000 ($523,320) fine for each single piece of misinformation published and not removed by the network within 24 hours.
 
According to the Forbes, with the new system, German Facebook users will be able to report a story as “fake”. It will then be sent to Correctiv, and independent, Berlin-based, fact-checking organization, which will examine it. If the fact-checkers deem the story as unreliable, it will be flagged as “disputed”.
 
The fact-checkers must sign up to a code of principles to take part. There are currently 43 signatories, including news organizations in several different countries.
 
Although users will still be able to share that particular news on their Facebook profile, they’ll also receive a warning. Plus, their update will be less visible due to the fact that news feed algorithm won’t prioritize it.
 
Facebook confirmed the test in a post on its German-language press site.
 
A Facebook spokesperson told the Financial Times: “Our focus is on Germany right now but we’re certainly thinking through what countries will unveil next.”
 
Facebook has been widely criticized after some users complained that fake news had influenced the US presidential election. Moreover, German government officials have expressed a growing concern that misinformation on the internet could influence the country’s parliamentary election this year. Last week, the social news site Buzzfeed found Facebook pages were publishing false stories about German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is seeking re-election.
 
The fake news problem spreads to the United Kingdom too. There, MPs are set to question executives from Facebook, Google and Twitter about fake news amid fears it is undermining democracy.

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3 thoughts on “Fwd: Facebook to Flag and Filter Fake News in Germany”

  1. FACEBOOK, TWITTER, YOUTUBE, GOOGLE are PLACES OF PUBLIC GATHERING, “SOCIAL Media”, and ADVERTISE themselves as PUBLIC places.. They are also PUBLICLY TRADED CORPORATIONS, unlike the PRIVATELY owned and operated “Mom&Pop” Bakery and Party Planner SUED by homosexuals.
    FACEBOOK is a PUBLIC SPACE therefore it has no right or legal option to censor participants. FACEBOOK is a PUBLICLY TRADED company, NOT a “private entity” and it solicits PUBLIC memberships.
    Just as cake bakers HAVE to bake homosexual cakes, and wedding planners HAVE to “accept” homosexual weddings, SUCKERberg has to accept opinions, videos, and pictures he does not like.
    The same applies to ALL “social media”, YOUTUBE, and search engines.
    A lowly COUNTY CLERK was jailed for refusing to “do her duty” by not issuing homosexuals marriage licenses The Baker, Planner, and Clerk SHOULD have just said: “You homosexuals VIOLATE OUR COMMUNITY GUIDLINES” !!! They advertise themselves as “Social Media & Public Spaces” so everything that is covered under the First Amendment can be posted there. A Party Planner and a Baker were successfully sued for refusing service to homosexuals ….. these “Social Media” can & should also be sued for violating People’s 1st Amendment RIGHTS to speak freely in PUBLIC SPACES.
    Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, etc. engaging in politically motivated censorship is like your meter reader shutting off your electricity because you have a Trump sign on your lawn. These social media have become like public utilities and therefore should have no right to engage in political censorship.

    Reply
  2. This should be filed under “satire.” Facebook posts “fake news” on their news feed. What it should have said is “Facebook to Filter Real News in Germany.”

    Reply

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