Opinion: Facebook wrecked this news outlet’s account. It’s hard to trust social media

The Kansas Reflector Facebook page had all of the links to their website removed without notice or explanation. Not only that, but it also applied to every other user whose content they had shared. — Dreamstime/TNS

On Thursday morning, the staff of The Kansas Reflector got a jolt: Without warning or explanation, every link to their website was erased from their Facebook page. And it wasn’t only them – the same went for every other user who had shared their content.

Just like that, one of the primary conduits for the nonprofit newsroom to reach its audience was cut off. “We’ve been flooded with instant messages and emails from readers asking what happened, how they can help and why the platform now falsely claims we’re a cybersecurity risk,” opinion editor Clay Wirestone and editor in chief Sherman Smith explained on their site.