Facebook Execs Want Zuckerberg To Abandon ‘Modest’ Approach To Fighting Hate
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg prefers to manage the fake news problem through rational, careful experiments and modest changes, Axios reported.
Experts say that the social media platform could do a number of things to reduce fake news. But almost every option would challenge Zuckerberg’s long-term vision for the company. He sees fake news as a public relations problem, not a foundational one, Axios reported.
It’s an opinion that differs from other Facebook executives, who, noticing the growing problems with unfiltered speech, are pushing to ramp up changes.
Experts suggest, according to Axios, hiring more than the 20,000 moderators Facebook promised by the end of the year to help monitor content; draw tighter lines around what is considered harmful content; lower the threshold of removal (Facebook won’t say how many pieces of offensive content a Page or person needs to post before being removed); and find a method for stricter authentication of users.
They also suggest removing more financial incentives for spreading fake news and separating news form social media.
Alyssa Fisher is a news writer at the Forward. Email her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher
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