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Month: November 2016

Facebook’s problem is more complicated than fake news

Facebook’s problem is more complicated than fake news

The following analysis points to the high emotional content of posts on Facebook: These two factors – the way that anger can spread over Facebook’s social networks, and how those networks can make individuals’ political identity more central to who they are – likely explain Facebook users’ inaccurate beliefs more effectively than the so-called filter bubble. If this is true, then we have a serious challenge ahead of us. Facebook will likely be convinced to change its filtering algorithm to…

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Facebook's problem is more complicated than fake news

Facebook's problem is more complicated than fake news

The following analysis points to the high emotional content of posts on Facebook: These two factors – the way that anger can spread over Facebook’s social networks, and how those networks can make individuals’ political identity more central to who they are – likely explain Facebook users’ inaccurate beliefs more effectively than the so-called filter bubble. If this is true, then we have a serious challenge ahead of us. Facebook will likely be convinced to change its filtering algorithm to…

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NPR says Facebook’s global censorship operation is a disaster

NPR says Facebook’s global censorship operation is a disaster

Facebook employs thousands of contractors, mostly overseas, who are tasked with evaluating posts at the rate of one every ten seconds. At such a rate, the contractors make frequent errors in judgement. The Facebook chief has an army of subcontractors making editorial judgments about millions of pieces of content — like a media company. But the rules they operate by are complex and contradictory. Source: From Hate Speech To Fake News: The Facebook Content Crisis Facing Mark Zuckerberg : All…

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NPR says Facebook's global censorship operation is a disaster

NPR says Facebook's global censorship operation is a disaster

Facebook employs thousands of contractors, mostly overseas, who are tasked with evaluating posts at the rate of one every ten seconds. At such a rate, the contractors make frequent errors in judgement. The Facebook chief has an army of subcontractors making editorial judgments about millions of pieces of content — like a media company. But the rules they operate by are complex and contradictory. Source: From Hate Speech To Fake News: The Facebook Content Crisis Facing Mark Zuckerberg : All…

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Social media users tend to share news that confirms their beliefs, even if the news is false

Social media users tend to share news that confirms their beliefs, even if the news is false

If internet users are predisposed to believe false information that confirms their prejudices — and if they enthusiastically take part in spreading conspiracy theories — then falsehoods may be endemic to mass online communication platforms. This issue is more difficult for Facebook, whose algorithms rely heavily on a social signal that comes from what a user’s friends are sharing. If its users promote unreliable information — particularly if it is not easily categorised as “news” — it will spread rapidly….

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