Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: In a move that could be a major setback for the media which rely on social network to draw readers, Facebook on Wednesday said would give more prominence to family and friends on user feeds.
This means that Facebook is tweaking its News Feed algorithm and wil prioritize posts that come from users’ family and friends.
In other words, it means that users will be able to see more posts from actual people like your family, friends, colleagues, etc. rather than those news feeds from media houses.
In a statement, Facebook said with the new news feed “people can see what they care about first, and don't miss important stuff from their friends”.
The social networking site further said, the "news feed," which appears when users log in, "is to show people the stories that are most relevant to them" and that its update "helps you see more posts from your friends and family."
The move comes after Facebook came under scrutiny from allegations by a former contractor that it was suppressing some political viewpoints in its "trending topics."
Facebook said its review found no bias, but that it would take steps to reassure users about the neutrality of the platform.
Facebook vice president Adam Mosseri said in a blog post that an updated algorithm that determines what users see would help people find information that matters to them.
"We are not in the business of picking which issues the world should read about," he wrote.
"We are in the business of connecting people and ideas -- and matching people with the stories they find most meaningful.
"Our integrity depends on being inclusive of all perspectives and viewpoints, and using ranking to connect people with the stories and sources they find the most meaningful and engaging."
Even though Facebook has emphasized it does not want to be a media provider, surveys show it has become a key source of news for Americans and others, even if users visit the network for other reasons.
With Agency Input
