Facebook Hiring Head of News Products to Fight Fake News

Facebook is looking to hire someone to run the company’s news products division; a new role supposedly developed to help fight the problem of “fake news.”

Recode reports that Facebook is talking to experienced candidates in both the tech and media fields to fill the new position, but is reportedly having trouble finding someone with both the media knowledge and tech capability to take on the role.

The new position is not listed on Facebook’s job website but will reportedly be overseen to a degree by Facebook’s VP in charge of news and video, Fidji Simo. Sources told Recode that whoever fills the position will be responsible for creating news products for Facebook’s media partners through the use of Instant Articles. Curbing the spread of misinformation or “fake news” will also be one of the many responsibilities involved in the role.

Facebook declined to comment on the matter. This new role has become available following increased pressure for Facebook to crack down on “fake news” on their platform. In March, the CEO of advertising giant WPP, Martin Sorrel, declared that Google and Facebook need to “step up” their fight against the inappropriate content on their platform.

Facebook also recently admitted in a statement that they “need to do better,” after a violent video of a man being shot in what has become known as the Easter Sunday Cleveland shooting remained on the platform for hours without removal. The pressure put on Facebook to monitor the content posted to their platform may be behind the sudden creation of this new role.