Facebook promised to tackle fake news. But the evidence shows it's not working

Following pressure from users, the social network introduced tools to stem the spread of false information. But the rollout has been rocky at bestWhen Facebook’s new fact-checking system labeled a Newport Buzz article as possible “fake news”, warning users against sharing it, something unexpected happened. Traffic to the story skyrocketed, according to Christian Winthrop, editor of the local Rhode Island website.“A bunch of conservative groups grabbed this and said, ‘Hey, they are trying to silence this blog – share, share share,’” said Winthrop, who published the story that falsely claimed hundreds of thousands of Irish people were brought to the US as slaves. “With Facebook trying to throttle it and say, ‘Don’t share it,’ it actually had the opposite effect.” Related: Bursting the Facebook bubble: we asked voters on the left and right to swap feeds These stories are like flash grenades. If you’re three days late on a fact check, you already missed the boat Related: Facebook announces steps against fake news during general election Related: Defining fake news will help us expose it | Paul Chadwick Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #fake news #opposite effect #fact check

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The Frederick News-Post Resumes Monday Print Edition

Imagine a newspaper that is printed on broadsheet from Tuesday through Sunday but switched to tabloid for the Monday edition. Then imagine a paper that was published seven days a week for 126 years but then had to scrap Mondays due to hard times & ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hard times


Kurt Vonnegut: unpublished work released through Kindle

A Vonnegut novella titled 'Basic Training,' about a young man visiting an eccentric relative, is available through Kindle only. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Works revamps book range

The Works is enhancing its retail experience around books, creating genre sections, themed window... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #retail experience


Google gives us some insight on the inner workings of Google Translate

Google may have started out as a search engine, but the scope of its services has grown considerably in the 20-plus years since its origin. Of the many products in its grand stable, Google Translate has become a workhorse platform, lending its multi-lingual chops to Chrome, Google +, Android,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #search engine #grown considerably #core mission #video interview


Waterstones' "promised land" due for Christmas

Waterstones' m.d. James Daunt has told independent publishers that the “promised land... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #promised land #james daunt


New Media and Tech Winning the Viral News War

Some new research sheds light on how social media is currently being used to share news articles from traditional publishers. Newswhip has looked at the number of news stories during January 2012 that received more than 100 mentions on Twitter and Fa ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #traditional publishers #news stories


Search Engines And Online News Aggregators Could Have To Pay To Use Snippets From Newspapers In Germany

The parties in Germany's ruling coalition have proposed a new protective copyright law for news publishers to ensure they are compensated by "commercial traders" that use pieces of their copyrighted content online, according to an automat ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #search engines #news publishers #content online


French government to digitize out-of-print 20th century works, plans ebook initiative

It's a case of having one's cake and eating it, too. Or, in this instance, digitizing the works of others and reselling them online for a 40 percent cut. According to Le Temps, a controversial new law recently passed by the French government will see out-of-print books from the 20th century... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-03-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #french government #ebook format #image credit


James Murdoch Leaves News Corp. Publishing Unit

More fallout from PhoneGate: News Corp. executive James Murdoch has "relinquished his position" as executive chairman head of News International, the conglomerate's British newspaper unit. News Corp., which also owns this Web site, says News International chief executive Tom Mockridge will stay... Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-02-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing unit #news international #web site #james murdoch


Pinterest: The New Facebook For Lifestyle Magazines

While Pinterest’s usefulness and staying power are still being debated, one thing has become clear: With its mostly female user base and emphasis on visuals, the online corkboard has become a traffic boon for women’s lifestyle magazines, even if the site doesn’t make it easy for brands to stand... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2012-02-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #associate director #web traffic #sit back


Church wins $1.1m payout from News Corp

Singer Charlotte Church and her parents have settled her phone-hacking damages action against the publishers of the now defunct News of the World for 600,000 pounds (NZ$1.1 million). Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2012-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Retailers welcome "huge news", novel due later this year says Rowling

Retailers have welcomed the "huge news" J K Rowling is to publish her first novel for... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #huge news


Retailers welcome "huge news" of Rowling novel

Retailers have welcomed the "huge news" J K Rowling is to publish her first novel for... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #huge news


News Sites on the Mobile Web: Vast Room for Improvement

Many news publishers focus their mobile strategies on platform-specific apps—but the mobile web may actually be more important, since a mobile website is easier to discover, link to, and share from a mobile device. Damon Kiesow, senior prod ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-02-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #news sites #mobile web #mobile strategies #mobile website #mobile device


French authors contest new law on orphan works

French authors have been signing a petition contesting a law for scanning and selling orphan and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Vaizey to give evidence in library inquiry

Culture minister Ed Vaizey will be interviewed by the culture, media and sport select committee... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Guardian Thrives in Facebook’s Walled Garden

In September, British newspaper The Guardian was one of the first publishers to build an app designed specifically for its content to be consumed (and shared) within Facebook. The upside: The prospect of added visibility to 850 million users. The dow ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Newsday Wins Three New York News Publishers Association Awards for Excellence

Melville, NY, February 14, 2012 – Newsday has been recognized by the New York News Publishers Association with three Awards for Excellence for its superior journalism. Award winners will be honored at a reception in Albany on Wednesday, Apr ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-02-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #award winners