Facebook has introduced a new feature that shows which of your friends have been spreading misinformation on the platform.
Having perhaps grown sick of being criticised by pretty much everyone who’s ever used the site, the company has created a tool that could turn a few disapproving eyes back at users, rather than Mark Zuckerberg.
A small ‘i’ button has started appearing next to headlines on new stories in Facebook’s News Feed for some users. Tapping it will bring up more information, including an excerpt from the publication’s Wikipedia page, a button to follow their Page, and related articles.
Related: How to delete your Facebook account
However, scroll down and you’ll also be able to see where the article has been shared and, most intriguingly of all, which of your friends have shared it.
That Facebook and other big tech firms have struggled to combat the spread of misinformation and so-called “fake news” is no secret, and this feature places more responsibility into the hands of users. It’s essentially a plea for help from the social network.
If you spot fake news doing the rounds on your feed, the idea is that − if you really want to do something about it − you could delve a little deeper, quickly find out which of your friends have been duped (or have been trying to dupe others), and have a little word to put them back on the straight and narrow.
The feature is currently being tested in the US, and there’s no word yet on when or if it will come to the rest of the world.
Have you deleted or considered deleting your Facebook account over the past months? Share your thoughts on Twitter @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
