Facebook's News Feed is receiving another revamp, as the social media company aims to filter out clickbait and give its users access to meaningful content.
A recent announcement from Facebook shows that an improved "ranking signal" will be deployed. It will help the algorithm detect stories users find most "informative" so these will be placed higher in the News Feed.
As the social network's user base grows larger, it becomes obvious that a unitary News Feed cannot cater to all the needs of its users to the same degree. That is why the platform gathers feedback from the tens of thousands of users in its Feed Quality Program. When paired with individual user data, the results of the survey should make sure Facebook serves personalized News Feeds that are enlightening and relevant.
In the Feed Quality Program, users are asked to rank stories in their feed from one to five — where one stands for "really not informative" and five commends a "really informative" piece.
The survey results demonstrate that users judge a story according to a few criteria: if it matches their interests, if it encourages them to enter a broader discussion and if it delivers news on the surrounding world.
By mashing the categories together, the social network creates a novel "predictive" system, which should filter and promote more informative content.
As you would expect, your own habits on the platform will play a big role in the new system as well. Your connection with the person or publisher of the story, as well as your standard clicking, commenting and sharing habits are all factors affecting the kind of content you will see.
"One of our News Feed values is that the stories in your feed should be informative," reads a blog post from Facebook.
The company further says that it acknowledges that each user feels informed in a different way by different data sources. Such sources could be anything from a celebrity gossip story, a piece of local news, a movie review, a cooking recipe or news on international affairs.
The update underlines the new position Facebook has in front of publishers, as well as its efforts to curate its platform content with an iron grip. Last week, Facebook restated its zero tolerance policy when it comes to clickbait ("misleading" content, for euphemistic enthusiasts).
The policy was chastised by the media for its problematic nature, which resides in relying on superficial factors, such as an article's headline. Most names in the media would agree that a heading is too little to qualify as clickbait, but Facebook seems to disagree.
Another standard that is highly debatable refers to the platform's focus on customizing the experience for each user. One strong argument against it is that by offering people only what they already like or support, Facebook reduces users' chances of discovering something new and informative. Inadvertently, Facebook might be pushing its users into the chords of the confirmation bias. Meanwhile, diverse social media feeds promote a better, more nuanced understanding of the world.
It remains to be seen which path Facebook chooses to take, and if its machine learning algorithms will manage to keep users both satisfied with their News Feed and intrigued by what else is there.
