On Monday, both companies announced policy changes to stop the spread of “fake news” by blocking the producers of that content from using their advertising networks.
Google kicked off the action on Monday afternoon when the Silicon Valley search giant said it would ban websites that peddle fake news from using its online advertising service. Hours later, Facebook, the social network, updated the language in its Facebook Audience Network policy, which already says it will not display ads in sites that show misleading or illegal content, to include fake news sites.
Both companies already have strict policies for their ad networks. For instance, you can’t use Google AdSense on a porn website. Google uses a combination of algorithms and human moderation to decide whether a site is eligible to use its advertising service.
By removing a potential revenue stream, it makes the business of fake news a bit less lucrative. For instance, Buzzfeed discovered that more than 100 fake news sites were created in a tiny city in Macedonia. So it’s clear that it’s not just about influencing the election — people are taking advantage of social networks to make money using fake news.
The companies’ decisions come after growing backlash toward Facebook and Twitter for perpetuating false news stories about the 2016 presidential campaign.
The issue has provoked a fierce debate within Facebook especially, with Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg insisting twice in recent days that the site had no role in influencing the election.
Facebook's steps are limited to its ad policies, and do not target fake news sites shared by users on their news feeds.
"We do not integrate or display ads in apps or sites containing content that is illegal, misleading or deceptive, which includes fake news," Facebook said in a statement, adding that it will continue to vet publishers to ensure compliance.
On Saturday, Zuckerberg defended his social platform, writing in a lengthy Facebook post that “more than 99 [percent] of what people see is authentic”:
However, Buzzfeed reported that Facebook’s employees feel differently:
Facebook employees have formed an unofficial task force to question the role their company played in promoting fake news in the lead-up to Donald Trump’s victory in the US election last week, amid a larger, national debate over the rise of fake and misleading news articles in a platform used by more than 150 million Americans.
The task force, which sources tell BuzzFeed News includes employees from across the company, has already rebutted a statement made by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg at a conference last week that the argument that fake news on Facebook affected the election was “a pretty crazy idea.”
The growing controversy could hurt Facebook and Google in terms of revenue from marketers, if their platforms are seen as untrustworthy.
Reuters reported:
The issue of fake news is critical for Google from a business standpoint, as many advertisers do not want their brands to be touted alongside dubious content. Google must constantly hone its systems to try to stay one step ahead of unscrupulous publishers, the former employee said.
The issue also stems from a rise in the number of people who look to online platforms to get their news.
A 2016 Pew Research Center Study revealed that 62 percent of U.S. adults get their news on social media, but the percentage differs from platform to platform. The study reported that 70 percent of Reddit users receive news from the platform, 66 percent of Facebook users receive news when using the site and 59 percent of Twitter users get their news from the platform.
Despite the moves by Facebook and Google to crack down on ads from fake news sites, they’re only the first step.
Techcrunch reported:
… [T]here will always be alternative revenue streams, so this move is not enough. Reducing the reach of these websites is the best way to prevent fake news sites from popping out. If Facebook, Twitter, Google News and other websites flagged fake news appropriately, then there would be no reason to create fake news sites in the first place.
UPDATE: Google is removing its "In the News" designation when desktop users use the search engine to find stories.
It will be replaced by a carousel of "Top stories" similar to what now exists on mobile. This move had been planned for quite some time, the source said.
The removal of the word "news" will, hopefully, help draw a sharper line between Google's human-vetted Google News product, and its main search product.
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