Facebook, looking to curb misinformation, is starting to prompt users to read articles before sharing

Critics have attacked Facebook for allowing falsehoods to proliferate unchecked on its platforms, including misinformation posted by Donald Trump and his supporters about the 2020 election that contributed to the Jan 6 attack on the US Capitol. — Dreamstime/TNS

LOS ANGELES: Facebook is hoping to cut the spread of misinfromation on its platform by prompting users to read a news story before they share it on the massive social platform.

Starting May 10, Facebook said, it is testing “a way to promote more informed sharing of news articles. If you go to share a news article link you haven’t opened, we’ll show a prompt encouraging you to open it and read it, before sharing it with others”.