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Facebook introduces fact-checking program in Canada
By Adnews Staff
Toronto-based social media company Facebook Canada has launched a third-party fact-checking program in this country intended to diminish the spread of false news on the site. The program is being conducted in collaboration with Agence France-Presse as part of Facebook's ongoing "Elections Integrity Initiative." According to the company, the effort is intended to ensure that Facebook is "a space for authentic civic engagement." AFP fact-checkers in Canada will review Canadian news stories on Facebook in English and French and rate their accuracy. False stories will be place lower in a user's news feed, and users will be informed if a story they share on the site is rated as false.
"We are committed to fighting the spread of false news and misinformation on multiple fronts, employing a variety of tools and tactics," said Kevin Chan, head of public policy at Facebook Canada. "Working with AFP on the third-party fact-checking program is a continuation of our Canadian Elections Integrity Initiative, and one of the ways we hope to better identify and reduce the reach of false news that people share on our platform. In addition to the fact-checking program, our tactics include disrupting financial incentives, taking action against fake accounts, applying machine learning to help diminish spam, reducing the posts people see that link to low-quality web pages, and providing people with easier access to additional perspectives and information."