Facebook Canada is fighting against false news.
The social network has announced a partnership with MediaSmarts in hopes of helping users spot false news. Beginning April 7th a new education tool will be rolling out to better inform Facebook users about misleading content.
The education tool will be available for a “few days” in 15 countries including Canada, in both English and French. The tool is set to sit at the top of Facebook user News Feeds. It also brings users to the Facebook Help Center and gives tips on how to check for false news, such as looking at the URL of specific sites and investigating the source of the content.
Facebook and MediaSmarts will also be releasing a guide titled, “How to Recognize False Content Online – The New W’s,” which will be available on MediaSmarts’ website.
The tip sheet goes over information such as “What kinds of false content should I look for,” “Why is it being spread?” and provides other information regarding where to locate correct, reliable information.
Facebook says it’s focusing on different key areas in an effort to fight false news. The social network also wants to disrupt economic incentives, help inform people of what to do when they encounter false news, and make false news easier to report.
Facebook also says it plans to build products to stop false news from spreading.
