Facebook follows Google's lead, bans fake sites from ad networkNovember 15, 2016 - 10:34 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Hours after Google announced it would ban sites that peddle fake news stories from using its advertising network, Facebook has followed suit. The social network announced on Monday, November 13 that it was now adding fake news sites to the list of sources already barred from using its Facebook Audience Network ads — a list that previously included misleading, illegal, and deceptive sites, The Verge reports. “While implied, we have updated the policy to explicitly clarify that this applies to fake news,” a Facebook spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal. “We vigorously enforce our policies and take swift action against sites and apps that are found to be in violation. Our team will continue to closely vet all prospective publishers and monitor existing ones to ensure compliance.” Facebook has faced criticism for its role in the U.S. presidential elections — specifically for spreading and perpetuating inaccurate stories dressed up as real news. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said that the idea that fake news on the platform influenced the election is “crazy,” but a number of Facebook employees apparently think differently, with some reportedly organizing a secret “task force” to solve the problem of deliberately misleading stories proliferating on the social network. By restricting Facebook’s ads, Zuckerberg’s company is at least doing something to combat the issue now, but the move won’t solve the problem outright. Fake stories with inflammatory headlines will still be capable of scoring millions of views, making it financially viable for people to invent news — such as the Pope’s apparent support of Donald Trump — that is patently false. Top stories Yerevan will host the 2024 edition of the World Congress On Information Technology (WCIT). Rustam Badasyan said due to the lack of such regulation, the state budget is deprived of VAT revenues. Krisp’s smart noise suppression tech silences ambient sounds and isolates your voice for calls. Gurgen Khachatryan claimed that the "illegalities have been taking place in 2020." Partner news Most popular in the section | Police try to impede Armenian Church head’s access to war memorial Police tried to stop the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II, from visiting a war memorial. Greece says ready to help as Armenia fights flooding consequences Greece is ready to assist Armenia in combatting the consequences of deadly floods in the country’s north. “He will leave”: Protest leader no longer demands meeting with Pashinyan Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan no longer demands a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. |