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Facebook will use machine learning to fight fake news

The move is an expansion of a program Facebook started in April to add more context to trending stories on the network.

Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
Expertise Mobile, 5G, Big Tech, Social Media Credentials
  • SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
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Roger Cheng
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Facebook is taking more action against fake news. 

 Claudia Cruz/CNET

Facebook is doubling down on its war on fake news. 

The social networking titan said on Thursday in an updated blog post that it would expand a program to offer related articles on a trending topic that offer fact-check articles and other perspectives. The company added it would use "updated machine learning" to detect more potential hoaxes and send them to third-party fact checkers. 

In April, Facebook introduced the related articles program, which offered links to other stories before you even read the shared trending topic. 

The company has drawn flak for its role in perpetuating hoaxes and its influence on the presidential election, and has in recent months worked to combat the rise of fake news. 

Facebook said the changes would affect how the News Feed worked, and that you would still get stories that were relevant to you.