Facebook has announced that it will try to beat back the swell of fake news, so what does this mean for the average user?
In recent months, there’s been an uptick in fake news websites—as opposed to satirical sites—that essentially post unfunny, bogus pieces in an attempt to get web traffic. Bogus stories that go viral are celebrity death hoaxes, false science pieces, articles about TV shows being canceled, and more.
The main vehicle that drives traffic to these fake news sites is Facebook. A bogus piece can get several million “likes” and shares on the social media platform, such as a National Report story saying 2014 federal tax refunds will be delayed until October 2015, which generated more than 1.5 million shares.
Facebook has rolled out a feature that allows users to report fake news. Facebook.com
