Have you ever wondered which news outlets are currently in the lead when it comes to generating interest and traffic? Would you believe us if we said that it’s social media giant Facebook? The website recently reported that 44% of its American users rely on it for the latest in news and facts going on in the country. If you’re a Facebook user, then you’ve surely noticed a rise in video clips and political stories lately from some of the biggest names in news.
Users easily remain up-to-date with what’s happening in the world by sharing, liking and commenting on news posts on a daily basis. Unfortunately, many news outlets on the web use biased and spun stories with sensational headlines to entice readers. As a regular Facebook user or business owner with a Facebook profile, what should you be on the lookout for when sharing news or information?
The Most Trusted Names
Like many Facebook users, we tend to believe and trust what most news outlets are reporting. According to Business Insider, these are the most trusted outlets in the US today:
- PBS
- BBC News
- The Economist
- National Public Radio
- The Wall Street Journal
- CBS News
- NBC News
- USA Today
Facebook’s Call to Action
Back in December 2016, Facebook announced that it would be partnering with independent fact checkers. Although this move wouldn’t completely filter out fake news as a whole, it would provide users with a warning that an article they’re sharing may contain misinformation masquerading as truth.
Here’s how it works: when sharing an article with possible misinformation, an alert will appear labeled as “Disputed Content”. If the user decides to share the article regardless, it will read “Disputed by Multiple Fact Checkers”. Along with the warning pop-up, users will also be informed of which fact checkers disputed the article. Facebook has partnered up with the following to help identify fake news pieces:
The Impact of Fake News
The talk of fake news has become a topic of interest over the last year or so. Not many found it to be a concern until last year’s election cycle. A growing number of critics started pointing fingers at Facebook for promoting and allowing fake news to spread on its platform. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the criticism seriously and shared his concern about fake news spreading on social media.
In early April 2017, Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would be partnering with News Integrity Initiative to further tackle the fake news situation. News Integrity Initiative is spearheaded by Craigslist founder and journalism advocate Craig Newmark. This partnership hopes to improve journalism on Facebook.
What You Can Do
Clickbait articles are everywhere and easy to fall for. As a business owner with an active social media presence, it’s important to be smart about which articles you share. Do your part and perform a simple Google search on the story you’d like to share to see what other credible news outlets are reporting about it.
If you’re unsure of how to build a strong social media presence built on 100% accurate information for your business, then contact us. We’ll do what we can to make sure your social presence is strong and built on strict information.