Fake News Stories on Facebook are Still Profitable
 |
| CBS News |
The story in question is about Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly claiming that she'd been kicked off the channel for backing Hillary Clinton in the election. Now if this was true then she'd have a pretty clear cut case for unfair dismissal but it isn't. Her political views aside, Kelly hasn't been fired from Fox News and viewers will continue to see her on their screens. The article came from a site called Ending The Fed, a pro-Trump and Right Wing site that seems to republish articles from other sites. We don't know whether they have permission to do this or if they're just plagiarising to get more views for their own site but this article has been the most popular. It seems weird that they would attack someone who does seem to support the same political party as them but maybe they were going for the shock factor.
On Facebook, the trending topics are chosen by an algorithm. It checks to see what Facebook users in each country are sharing and posting the most about. This was obviously one of those stories so it wound up slipping through the cracks with real news stories. It makes you wonder if Facebook did the right thing in choosing to remove any human interference with the trending topics. Where Facebook used to show a little human-written description, now they don't, and you have to assume in cases such as this that they'd look into the story to write about it and would then realise it was fake. To some users, this might seem too much like interference though and that is what got Facebook into trouble over trending topics previously. People thought they were slipping in topics no one was talking about as that's what Facebook wanted people to read, if they were removing others before users knew it was fake, they might have claimed they were picking and choosing what they wanted to share.
Facebook have since apologised and removed the article. It's not something Facebook seem to be able to prevent easily and it most likely will happen again in the future. This might be great news for hoax sites but not so much for everyone else.
Rosina is a Songbird writer with a degree in Creative Writing. She's trying to focus on her novel on the side but is glad to be playing around with apps and writing about them in the mean time! Follow her @Songbird_Rosina
Contact us on Twitter, on Facebook, or leave your comments below. To find out about social media training or management why not take a look at our website for more info: TheSMFGroup.com
Fake News Stories on Facebook are Still Profitable
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Rating:
Unknown
Keeping you up to date on social media, digital marketing, apps, news & reviews. Social media, and digital marketing as a whole, are rapidly and constantly changing, adapting to new developments at an ever increasing rate. Just keeping up to date can be a nightmare. Our team of writers know their field, and keep an ear to the ground. We aim to keep you informed of all recent developments in the online world, and teach you a little something along the way. So whether you just want to stay connected, or gain some knowledge for yourself, the Social Songbird will keep on singing! More articles are posted every day so keep checking back! Join the discussion on Twitter - #SocialSongbird Or contact us directly - @SocialSongbird_
Entrepreneur, international speaker on Social Media Marketing. First one in the UK to write and speak in conferences about Twitter as a marketing tool. Consultant to Corporate Companies, Government Organizations, Marketing Managers and Business Owners.
Aspiring novelist with a passion for fantasy and crime thrillers. He hopes to one day drop that 'aspiring' prefix. He started as a writer and soon after he was made Executive Editor and Manager of the team at Social Songbird. A position he held for 5 years.
Adrienne is a passionate writer with experience in editing, content creation, and social media marketing. She’s a lover of animals, helping others improve their writing, and 2000s pop culture.
Musician, audio technician, professional tutor and a Cambridge university English student. Interested in writing, politics and obsessed with reading.
Recently graduated with a BA in English Literature from the University of Exeter, and he is about to study an MA in Journalism at the University of Sheffield. He is an aspiring journalist and novelist; in his free time he enjoys playing chess, listening to music and taking long walks through nature.
Lucy is an undergraduate BSc Politics and International Relations student at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Anna Coopey is a 4th year UG student in Classics at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She is a keen writer and researcher on a number of topics, varying from Modern Greek literature to revolutionary theory.
Ellie is a recent BA English Literature graduate and aspiring publisher with a passion for writing. Her favourite pastimes include reading and shopping.