Facebook is set to introduce another way of ensuring the information we consume on the social network isn’t misleading.
Facebook product managers Anita Joseph and Michelle Paselli explain in a Newsroom post how ID verification is being extended to include “some profiles with large audiences in the US.” More specifically, the verification check will be triggered for, “people who have a pattern of inauthentic behavior on Facebook and whose posts start to rapidly go viral in the US.”
The ID verification process Facebook carries out requires the user consent to it. If they don’t, or Facebook discovers the provided ID doesn’t match the account, “the distribution of their viral post will remain reduced so fewer people will see it.” Anyone who is a Page admin also faces restrictions and won’t be able to post from their Page until a Page Publishing Authorization has been completed and Facebook has verified their ID.
Facebook is implementing these new checks to create “greater accountability.” Recently, the social network said it would start notifying users who Liked or reacted to harmful coronavirus misinformation. WhatsApp is also limiting viral messages from being forwarded to stop COVID-19 misinformation. It all forms part of Mark Zuckerberg’s desire to be understood rather than being liked. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is attempting to regulate social media.
