Facebook will let you push a button to figure out if a story you're reading is fake news

Source: CNBC:

October 5, 2017 at 12:26

- The new feature will allow Facebook users to tap a button for additional information about the news article and source.
- Facebook has come under pressure in recent weeks to better combat the spread of fake news and misinformation.
- "This new feature is designed to provide people some of the tools they need to make an informed decision about which stories to read, share, and trust," the company said in a statement.

Facebook will start testing fake news warnings, adding context to the traditional news feed and constant sharing on its platform, the company announced Thursday.

"This new feature is designed to provide people some of the tools they need to make an informed decision about which stories to read, share, and trust," the company said in a statement.

The new feature will allow Facebook users to tap a button for additional information about the news article and source, including details from the publisher's Wikipedia entry, trending and related content, and information about how the article is being shared.

Facebook has come under pressure in recent weeks to better combat the spread of fake news and misinformation. The social media giant said earlier this week that Russia-backed ads during the 2016 presidential election reached an estimated 10 million users. Fake news stories also circulated on the platform in the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting.

"We're making it easier to learn more about an article right in your Facebook news feed," Andrew Anker, product manager director for news at Facebook said in a video about the announcement.

Distribution of content through Pages won't be affected, the company said.