Facebook ramps up efforts to curb fake news before UK election

After the social network was lambasted for allowing false news reports to propagate during last year’s presidential election in the United states, the company promised it would beef up its efforts to put an end to the practice. Facebook announced a variety of methods, policies and procedures it would enact to ensure that news being shared on the platform was accurate.

With Britain’s general elections kicking off next month, Facebook published advertisements in newspapers seeking to educate users how to identify fake news. The company has also removed what it believes are thousands of fake accounts in the U.K. and has improved its algorithm to deemphasize what could be considered spam or false information.

“People want to see accurate information on Facebook,” Simon Milner, Facebook policy director in the U.K., said in a statement. “That is why we are doing everything we can to tackle the problem of false news.”

Facebook is teaming with Full Fact, a non-profit dedicated to working with major publications “to address rumours and misinformation spreading online during the UK election,” according to the organization’s statement.

The ads list the following steps for spotting false news:

1. Be skeptical of headlines.