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Internal Docs Show Human Intervention at Almost Every Stage Of Facebook's News Operation (theguardian.com)

Posted by msmash on from the facebook-and-how-it-works dept.

More evidence has surfaced to support Gawker's two recent reports that claimed editors manipulate the trending news and a few other aspects on Facebook. The Guardian, citing leaked documents it obtained, reports that the topics one sees on Facebook are determined on a number of factors including "engagement, timeliness, Pages you've liked and your location." From the report: But the documents show that the company relies heavily on the intervention of a small editorial team to determine what makes its "trending module" headlines -- the list of news topics that shows up on the side of the browser window on Facebook's desktop version. The company backed away from a pure-algorithm approach in 2014 after criticism that it had not included enough coverage of unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, in users' feeds. The guidelines show human intervention -- and therefore editorial decisions -- at almost every stage of Facebook's trending news operation, a team that at one time was as few as 12 people.Sam Biddle of Gawker, wrote: Never trust what a company tells you, on/off record -- FB straight up lied to Recode last year. He adds: unless they're under oath a company like Facebook has every incentive to lie about how it operates. It's not illegal to lie to a reporter!"

Update: 05/12 20:49 GMT by M : Facebook has published a blog post in which it explains how Trending Topics on its platform works. The company insists that there is no discrimination against sources of any political origin.

12 of 215 comments (clear)

  1. Well, Gawker would know by RevDisk · · Score: 4, Interesting

    They're not exactly the highest professional or unbiased quasi news entity either.

    1. Re:Well, Gawker would know by Tailhook · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Yeah, but they did this one right. They broke the story but held back evidence; just enough to make headlines but leave room for plausible denials. Naturally Facebook categorically denied everything. Boom; leaked editorial guidelines published; oh look, editors everywhere. "Blacklists." "Injection."

      It will be interesting to see their response to the Senate. Particularly if they maintain records of what got blacklisted and injected.

      And there has never been as much love for the `rights' of private corporations — or Fakebook in particular — on Slashdot. Watching you people scatter in the light is really amazing.

      --
      Maw! Fire up the karma burner!
    2. Re: Well, Gawker would know by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 4, Funny

      The problem is that they claimed their news reflected user interests,

      Where did they make that claim?

      I dunno, but they need to get over to Fox News so they can learn how to do the news fair and balanced.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  2. Facebook is not a monopoly by D.McG. · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Facebook can place on their website whatever the hell they like. They are not a monopoly subject to government oversight. Facebook will not be testifying before a committee on this manner.

  3. Re:HU-Man? by cayenne8 · · Score: 4, Interesting
    This all started because not enough FB folks were upset about Ferguson and posting about it....???

    Who was deciding that not "enough" people were posting about it to make the newsfeeds....?

    --
    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  4. Facebook is a public company... by QuietLagoon · · Score: 5, Insightful
    ... and a public company has an obligation to its shareholders to make as much money as possible.

    .
    Facebook is an entertainment company, not a news company. Facebook's business goal is to ~encourage~ its users to visit the site as often as possible and stay as long as possible.

    It is completely and wholly Facebook's prerogative how Facebook accomplishes its business goals, with legal parameters, of course.

    So long as Facebook is not breaking the law, I say that the complainers should take their whining somewhere else.

    And to those idiots in Congress who are wasting public money on this, why in the world are you messing with facebook when the good people of Flint, MI still cannot drink the water?

  5. non sequitur by s.petry · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Are you attempting to imply that they lied about Facebook? Are you attempting to claim that Facebook lying to customers has no impact? Are you trying to claim that because one person did something wrong they can never point out that another did something wrong? Are you trying to claim that Facebook is innocent? What is the point, perhaps simply a cheap attempt at karma whoring?

    --

    -The wise argue that there are few absolutes, the fool argues that there are no probabilities.

  6. Re:Napoleon by Comboman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Facebook is a social network/farm simulator. Anyone who relies on it for their news deserves what they get.

    --
    Support Right To Repair Legislation.
  7. Sooo by Ryanrule · · Score: 4, Funny

    The outrage here is humans taking the jobs of algorithms?

  8. Seriously... by JustNiz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Anyone who uses Facebook as their primary news source deserves all they get.

  9. Re:HU-Man? by schwit1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "Who was deciding that not "enough" people were posting about it to make the newsfeeds....?" That would be the black lies matter cabal.

  10. Tech can have a political dimension by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Slashdot is News for Nerds. Yet often has political articles because of editors and votes.

    Every now and then, technology intersects strongly with politics, such as when restrictions on information or technology or abuse of either are enshrined in law. Such is the case with surveillance, global warming, GMO labelling, workplace non-discrimination, and many other topics that hold huge interest among a large number of technology-oriented people.

    When there is news in such areas, Slashdot would be remiss not to report on them. You may not like the majority opinion in such threads (and indeed the majority often has it ass backwards), but the reports are often right on topic as News for Nerds.

    The solution for your lack of interest in such topics is so simple that I'm surprised that it didn't occur to you: just don't read them.