Social Media: Facebook to Endorse Latest Posts As Breaking News

Facebook has said it is getting tired of a “Latest”  feature news as it tests ways for publishers to deliver real breaking news at any point in time. The feature news introduced some years ago listed Latest Stories on Facebook at any point in time.

“We’re exploring new ways to help people stay informed about timely and untimely breaking news that matters to them while making sure the news they see on Facebook is from trustworthy, reliable and quality sources,” Alex Hardiman,

Facebook’s head of news products, quoted in a blog post.

He also, said the Latest feature would be removed “soon.”

Facebook and other social media platforms have been criticized for their role in allowing disinformation to spread during the 2016 US election, in many cases with the help of automated “bots” or disguised Russian-based accounts.

Latest was only available in a handful of countries, and accounted for a paltry fraction of clicks through to news publishers, according to Hardiman.

Facebook said it is working with 80 publishers in Australia, Europe, India, and the Americas on a “Latest Breaking News” label to adorn posts in Facebook News Feed.

The California-based social network is also testing a “Today” section dedicated to “breaking and important news” from local publishers, officials and organizations, according to Hardiman.

A Facebook Watch zone for online video viewing will soon get a news section complete with live coverage, daily briefings, and “deep dives,” he added.

“We are committed to ensuring the news that people see on Facebook is high quality, and we’re investing in ways to better draw attention to Latest breaking news when it matters most,” Hardiman said.