Facebook Trending Topics Tweaked to Show More News Sources

Advertisement
By Agence France-Presse | Updated: 25 May 2017 10:14 IST
Highlights
  • New design will offer a "carousel" with a variety of websites
  • Aim is to help people "feel more informed about the news in their region"
  • The update "does not affect how trending topics are identified"

Facebook on Wednesday unveiled its latest redesign to its "trending topics" feature - its latest move to give users a variety of sources on important news events.

The huge social network - which has faced criticism for creating "filter bubbles" that reinforce the views of users, and has been accused of bias in selecting its news sources - said the new design will offer a "carousel" with a variety of websites.

"You've always been able to click on a topic to see related posts and stories, but we've redesigned the page to make it easier to discover other publications that are covering the story, as well as what your friends and public figures are saying about it," Facebook said in a blog post.

"Now, when you click on a trending topic, you'll see a carousel with stories from other publications about a given topic that you can swipe through."

Advertisement

The blog signed by Facebook product manager Ali Ahmadi and designer John Angelo said the aim is to help people "feel more informed about the news in their region."

They added there would be "no predetermined list of publications" which appear in trending topics and that the update "does not affect how trending topics are identified," after a series of changes.

Advertisement

Earlier this year, Facebook revised its formula for trending news in an effort to weed out fake news by tweaking its algorithm to diminish the importance of how much a news story is shared.

Last year, Facebook moved to make its trending topics automated, scaling back human selection after critics complained curators were deliberately omitting stories from conservative news outlets.

Advertisement

Facebook made the changes last year despite arguing that its research discovered no systematic bias in story selection.

The social network, which has nearly two billion users worldwide, is an increasingly important source of news for its members.

Facebook has brushed aside the idea that misinformation spread over its network was a major factor in the 2016 US presidential election, but has stepped up efforts to weed out hoaxes and unverified news.

The new "trending" design is rolling out for iPhone users in the US, and will soon be available for Android and desktop, Facebook said.

 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro May Launch in India on This Day
  2. Vivo X500 Pro, X500 Pro Max Telephoto Camera Details Confirmed Ahead of Launch
  3. Realme P4s 5G With an 8,000mAh Battery Arrives in India at This Price
  4. Realme C100i 4G Retail Box Surfaces Ahead of India Launch, Key Details Revealed
  5. These New WhatsApp Features Might Provide Enhanced User Security
  6. Realme P4s 5G Review: A Mid-Ranger With a Flagship-Grade Display
  7. Redmi 17C 5G With MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC, 6,000mAh Battery Launched
  8. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Remastered Announced, Launch Set for Next Month
  1. Rockstar Games Says GTA 6 Leaks Have Been 'Heartbreaking', Promises More Details Soon
  2. Perplexity’s Portable Computer Launched, Brings Cloud-Like AI Agent Capabilities to Edge Devices
  3. Bitwise Launches Three Automated Portfolios Using Coinbase Tokenised US Stocks
  4. Oppo Find X10 Series Display Features Leaked Again Ahead of Expected September Launch
  5. Instagram First Draft Launched With the Ability to Automatically Trim Clips for Reels
  6. RWA Deposits Rise Sharply on DeFi Platforms Despite 15% Drop in Overall DeFi Deposits
  7. Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro India Launch Date, Design, Key Features Leaked Online
  8. iPhone Ultra Could Feature Redesigned Internal Layout as Purported Images of Motherboard Surface Online
  9. Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra Design, Colourway Spotted in Leaked CAD Renders
  10. Vivo X500 Pro Max Confirmed to Feature 200-Megapixel Zeiss Telephoto Camera; X500 Pro to Get 64-Megapixel Sensor
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.