In its bid to increase the quality of news on its platform, and to help people connect to their communities, Facebook is expanding its prioritisation of local news beyond the United States. The update is now global, and available in all languages.
Earlier this year, after announcing arguably the biggest News Feed change since New Feed came into existence, Facebook also announced that it would also be making a small change in the to prioritise local news. “Local news helps people connect to their communities,” and we all know how Facebook feels about communities. Now, a few months after making the update in the US, the company announced that it is expanding the update “to people in all countries, in all languages.” What does this mean for Facebook users? Well, they will get to see more news on the platform from local news sources that cover the city they live in and “other cities they care about.”
In its bid to increase the quality of news in News Feed, Facebook will prioritise news from sources that people trust, and that is both informative and relevant to local communities. What that means for local publishers, is that Facebook will help them reach their audiences more effectively in the cities in which they operate and the surrounding ones.
A publisher will be considered local to specific cities if people in them are more likely to read stories from its domain. In the announcement of the expansion, Alex Hardiman, Head of News Product, and Campbell Brown, Head of News Partnerships at Facebook, explain that “by expanding the scope of what may be considered local to people, [Facebook will be] including other cities that people may care about and connecting people to local publishers from those cities.”
You might also like
More from Facebook
Meta May Soon Alert You When Your Posts Are Removed By AI
According to reports, Meta is rolling out a system that notifies users when their posts are removed and how.
Meta Is Working On A Universal Speech Translator
Meta's latest AI project seeks to extend advanced translation options to lesser-used languages and to develop a universal speech translator.
Instagram Retires Boomerang And Hyperlapse Standalone Apps
Boomerang and Hyperlapse standalone apps have been removed from app stores as their functionality is already available within Reels.
Meta Demos Voice Controlled Builder Bot That Creates VR Spaces
Meta's latest AI research introduces a prototype technology capable of generating immersive objects through voice commands only.
Facebook Is Removing The Ability To Create Profile Frames
As part of its efforts to continue banning anti-vax messages, Meta is removing the ability for users to create frames.
Facebook Is About To Shut Down Campus
Facebook has informed users via an in-app message that it will be shutting down Campus - its college-focused social network.
Meta Updates Its Company Values
In the aftermath of its major rebranding, Meta is announcing a new company mission formed by a group of values.
Messenger Provides New Guide On Online Safety
Messenger has published a handy decision tree graphic that guides users and parents to find the safety features they need.
Facebook’s ‘News Feed’ Is Now Just ‘Feed’
After 15 years, Facebook is changing the name of its home page in an effort to move away from the …
