Facebook has long published in the Help Center "Help Centre"advice for users of this social media."
Among the tips are those for identifying fake news, which can be published by various sources, which use this social medium to distribute it.
Facebook has been grappling with the spread of fake news and misinformation for a long time. During this time, the social media platform has been looking to find ways to combat misinformation, through automated forms and through collaborators and partners.
But, in addition to this, the "Help Center" also contains some tips for users that serve to identify disinformation.
Facebook's tips for identifying fake news, published in the Help Center:
We’re committed to reducing the spread of fake news on Facebook. We remove fake accounts and break economic incentives for people who share misinformation. We also use signals, like feedback from our community, to identify stories that may be false. In places where we work with independent third-party fact-checkers, stories that are deemed false by those fact-checkers appear lower in Feeds. If pages or domains consistently create or share misinformation, we significantly reduce their distribution and remove their advertising rights. We’re also working to empower people to decide for themselves what to read, believe, and share by giving them more context about stories through tools like Related Articles.
Learn more about how to face facts in “Facing Facts,” a short film about our fight against misinformation, or Inside Feed, a page dedicated to shedding light on Facebook’s people and products.
As we work to limit the spread, here are some tips on what to watch out for:
- Be skeptical of headlines. Fake news often has catchy headlines in all capital letters with exclamation points. If the shocking claims in the headline sound unbelievable, they probably are.
- Look closely at the link. A fake or similar link can be a warning sign of fake news. Many fake news sites mimic authentic news sources by making small changes to the link. You can go to the site to compare the link to the established sources.
- Investigate the source. Make sure the story was written by a source you trust with a reputation for accuracy. If the story comes from an unknown organization, check their “About” section to learn more.
- Watch out for unusual formatting. Many fake news sites have spelling errors or awkward layouts. Read carefully if you see these signs.
- Consider photos. Fake news often contains manipulated images or videos. Sometimes the photo may be authentic, but taken out of context. You can search for the photo or image to verify where it came from.
- Inspect dates. Fake news may contain time frames that don't make sense, or dates of events that have been changed.
- Check the evidence. Check the author's sources to confirm that they are accurate. A lack of evidence or reliance on unidentified experts can indicate fake news.
- Look at other reports. If no other news sources are reporting the same story, it may indicate that the story is false. If the story is reported by multiple sources that you trust, it is more likely to be true.
- Is the story a joke? Sometimes, fake news can be hard to distinguish from humor or satire. Check to see if the source is known for parody and if the details and tone of the story suggest it may be just for fun.
- Some stories are intentionally false. Think critically about the stories you read and only share news that you know to be reliable.