Though Facebook has denied its contribution to the spread of fake news, the Facebook Journalism Project recognizes the social media giant's important role in the news cycle in general. The Facebook Journalism Project is a concerted attempt to strengthen the ties between the platform and the news industry.
The project is a multifaceted one, with Facebook working in many different ways to improve the quality and reliability of news that gets shared on its platform. The project has been divided into three broad categories: collaborative development of news products, training and tools for journalists, and training and tools for users at large.
Though the project handles many different aspects of news sharing on Facebook, curbing the spread of fake news and hoaxes is a priority for many of the sites users.
Social Media Journalism Projects
The Facebook 'Journalism Project' Aims to Improve the Site's News
Trend Themes
1. Collaborative News Platforms - By focusing on collaborative development of news products, platforms and media outlets could improve the quality of news shared on social media sites like Facebook.
2. Journalist Training Programs - Training and tools for journalists could help to increase their ability to report factually and break news on social media sites like Facebook, improving the credibility of news outlets and social media platforms alike.
3. Fake News Detection - By prioritizing the curbing of fake news and hoaxes, social media sites like Facebook present an opportunity for the development of new technologies and algorithms capable of detecting and preventing the spread of false information online.
Industry Implications
1. Social Media - Social media platforms like Facebook are increasingly important players in news sharing and could benefit from investment in programs designed to improve the quality of news shared on their sites.
2. Media - Media outlets could partner with social media platforms to create collaborative news products, sharing resources and reducing the spread of fake news and hoaxes in the process.
3. Journalism Education - By partnering with online media outlets and social media sites like Facebook, journalism schools could better equip students with the tools and skills necessary to report factually and responsibly on social media platforms.