Instagram Automatically Labels, Hides Fake News

(Photo Credit: Omar Marques/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Social media is not the place to look for your daily dose of reality.

Between altered images, bots, paid influencers, and trolls, it’s increasingly difficult to know what’s real and what’s fake news.

Which is why Instagram is expanding its fact-checking program globally, allowing organizations around the world to assess and rate misinformation on the network.

Now, when content is rated “false” or “partly false” by an unbiased observer, it is removed from the Explore and hashtag pages and gets slapped with a label.

“Photo- and video-based misinformation is increasingly a challenge across our industry,” Instagram said in a blog announcement. “And something our teams have been focused on addressing.”

The firm currently works with 45 certified fact-checking organizations globally to identify false information within the photo- and video-sharing app.

Instagram is expanding its fact-checking program globally (via Instagram)

Dodgy displays shared to users’ feeds, profiles, stories, and direct messages are hidden behind a “false information” overlay: Simply tap “See Post” to bypass the barrier, or click “See Why” for more information.

The label links to the fact-checker rating and provides credibly sourced articles debunking the claims made in that post.

“We use image matching technology to find further instances of this content and apply the label, helping reduce the spread of misinformation,” the blog said.

The same action will be taken if identical content is posted on Facebook (and vice versa).

But like its popular parent company, which “exempts” elected officials from inspection, Instagram said it won’t fact-check “the original content of politicians.”

Earlier this year, the social network added a “False Information” feedback option that, among other signals, helps determine what should be sent out for review.

And while auto-labeling should help curb fake news, it won’t stop you from seeing misleading political ads.

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