Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Facebook halts recommendations on political groups

Facebook halts recommendations on political groups

With the 2020 presidential election now just three days away, Facebook Inc. has temporarily halted a feature that recommends political groups to its users.

With the 2020 presidential election now just three days away, Facebook Inc. has temporarily halted a feature that recommends political groups to its users.

The social media giant confirmed the change on Friday and, in a Wednesday Senate hearing, Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said the move to "stop recommendations in groups for all political content or social issue groups" was implemented as a "precaution."

The company intends to reverse the measure after Election Day, according to BuzzFeed News.

Two weeks ago, Zuckerberg assured employees that Facebook would impose fewer restrictive rules on content following the divisive contest.

Both the company and its rivals have increased moderation of their content after U.S. intelligence officials said the platforms were exploited by Russian agents using disinformation to influence and inflame voters prior to President Trump's surprise victory in 2016.


Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg appears on a screen as he speaks remotely during a hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020, in Washington.


Menlo Park, California-based Facebook has created a fact-checked Voting Information Center, blocked 120,000 posts and 2.2 million ads and committed to cracking down on Holocaust denial, the QAnon conspiracy theory and extremist groups.

Reuters reported Friday that the platform promised to limit the distribution of the controversial "save our children" hashtag because of its connections with QAnon.

Facebook's action on algorithmic group recommendations came at the urging of watchdog organizations that complained such groups were being used as vessels to spread misinformation and sow discord.

In May, The Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook had chosen to disregard the results of its own internal probe into the company's use of algorithms, noting that they "exploit the human brain's attraction to divisiveness."

At the same time, the social media giant and other Big Tech companies have come under increased scrutiny from lawmakers on broader issues.

Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have questioned whether the companies have become monopolies. Democrats, additionally, have said social media platforms do too little to prevent the spread of disinformation and hate speech, while Republicans have accused them of censoring conservative views.

Last week, the Department of Justice filed a landmark suit against search engine giant Google over antitrust complaints, prompting speculation that legal action against other companies might follow.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
×