Facebook wants to help you get out of your 'filter bubble'
SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook is testing a new way to coax people out of their "filter bubble" where they tend to only see news articles that reinforce their personal beliefs.
Now, before people read an article shared in News Feed, they may see a range of articles on the same topic. Related Articles, which Facebook launched in 2013, usually appears in News Feed after people read an article.
"That should provide people easier access to additional perspectives and information, including articles by third-party fact-checkers," Sara Su, a News Feed product manager, said in a blog post.
Facebook has been heavily criticized for helping spread fake or slanted news during and after the U.S. presidential election. Another problem: people tend to isolate themselves in news silos, only seeing articles from their own perspective. Facebook has argued that friends share diverse news and opinions, but this move is part of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's push to create a more "informed" community.
Facebook says it doesn’t anticipate publishers will see "significant changes in reach" as part of the move.
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