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from the no-more-profits-from-false-prophets dept.
Google and Facebook finally announced steps to tackle fake news on their respective platforms this week following increasing pressure from critics eager to halt the flow of falsehoods online.
Both companies said they will prohibit fake news websites from advertising on their platforms, thus reducing the exposure of such articles to the public while also starving the companies of an important source of advertising income.
The move comes after the companies received a wave of criticism over its role in propagating misinformation, particularly in this election cycle in which many observed that a bitter partisan war was potentially worsened by polarizing news sources touting untrue assertions. While the technology companies have in the past been hesitant to mediate the flow of news, this change might signal a change in thought as they come to grip with the real-life implications of lackluster surveillance on their platforms.
Wrongthink will not be permitted, citizens.
(Score: 2) by dry on Saturday November 19 2016, @03:52AM
The US does have a free press. Free in the sense that the press can publish most whatever it wants, whether true or not. This goes back at least till, IIRC, Jefferson vs Adams, where each bought newspapers to publish their versions of the truth, whether actually true or not.
It's the problem with freedom, it includes the freedom to do dishonest shit and as long as people support it, what can you do?