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election explained

How Facebook became mired in election controversy

From fake news to advertising, the social media giant has drawn attention for its influence on voters, writes Jon Stone

Thursday 07 November 2019 19:21 GMT
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The firm has long had a disinformation problem
The firm has long had a disinformation problem

Facebook has been at the centre of a number of political storms in both the US and UK in recent years. Most of these have revolved around two issues: the first is “fake news” or disinformation; and the second is the nature of Facebook advertising. The latest has combined both.

What’s the issue with fake news?

Facebook has long had a fake news and disinformation problem. In short, false stories spread fast on the platform, pushed by the company’s algorithm as more people read and share them.

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