Facebook is rolling out a new feature that’ll let certain users become “experts” in their Facebook groups.
The function is designed to help knowledgeable experts stand out in a Facebook group. “After accepting this role, group experts will receive a badge next to their names in the group, making it easier for group members to spot informative posts and comments from designated experts,” the social network said.
It’ll be up to the admins of a Facebook group to determine who receives the expert designation. The admins can also choose to remove the badges at any time.
However, Facebook’s announcement on the function neglects to mention the elephant in the room: The social network has a notorious reputation for letting users circulate misinformation. Might this same function act as a megaphone for bad actors?
Facebook didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. But in recent months, the social network has been (again) cracking down on Facebook groups and pages that post misinformation and hate speech. This has included changing Facebook’s recommendation algorithms to avoid pushing Facebook groups geared toward politics and public health.
Whether Facebook’s content moderation is making a difference at stopping misinformation from going viral is hotly-contested. But adding a megaphone to a Facebook group already rife with conspiracy theories and sensational allegations ultimately may not matter.
The company’s announcement on the feature focuses more on elevating experts in relatively benign subjects, such as fitness, arts and crafts, and gaming. In addition, Facebook points out the expert labels can be given out to celebrities in their respective fields.
“Admins can collaborate with group experts to host Q&As, share perspectives on a topic and respond to questions,” the company added.
It’s also possible the expert function could help stamp out misinformation. Responsible group admins now have a new tool to highlight knowledgeable experts, and even recruit them to a Facebook Group.
“We’re starting to test giving some people in fitness and gaming the option to identify specific topics they’re knowledgeable about, like yoga or a particular game,” the company said. “Group admins can then search for these specific topics, discover relevant people who are not yet members and invite them to join as group experts.”
The expert badges will start rolling out to “select groups across desktop and mobile,” Facebook said, without elaborating.
