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The big problem with this Facebook controversy is the amount of people getting their news from Facebook. There are a thousands of other places to consume news,
by dmode 10y ago
The big problem with this Facebook controversy is the amount of people getting their news from Facebook. There are a thousands of other places to consume news, and they do a better job. I almost never click on the Trending topic on Facebook, because I always that it has been curated/customized based on my profile. I actually use NYT / Twitter / Washington Post etc. to get news and trending topics
- lazzlazzlazz 10y agoNYT and Washington Post are subject to the same kinds of biases - in fact, moreso, since what comes up is ultimately in the hands of the executive editor. Twitter also likely uses manual curation. If Facebook improves an algorithmic system augmented with human consensus (that diffuses the editorial control among a group of curators), it will be the least biased of all the mentioned systems.
- morgante 10y agoIronically, Facebook is getting criticized by being more like the NYT and the Washington Post by holding back stories which aren't credible or news-worthy.
- jonlucc 10y agoI agree, but all of this hubbub is about the Trending News section. Nobody seems to be saying that Facebook put their finger on the scales of what shows up in news feeds after being shared by friends. I suspect that when people say "60% of millenials get their news primarily from Facebook", they are talking about shared articles and the like, not the "trending now" section.