Facebook is advertising to hire “news credibility specialists,” as the company continues to take on the role of a publisher, making editorial decisions about what news content is “trusted” and what is not.
Business Insider revealed that the social media giant had advertised for the positions online, with the following message:
“We’re seeking individuals with a passion for journalism, who believe in Facebook’s mission of making the world more connected,” one of the two listings reads. It continues: “As a member of the team, you’ll be tasked with developing a deep expertise in Facebook’s News Credibility Program. You’ll be conducting investigations against predefined policies.”
Facebook would ask the specialists to help create a list of credible news organizations. That list could be used for various features on the site, from the newsfeed to its advertising system.
According to Business Insider, Facebook advertised for two positions, one English-speaking and one Spanish-speaking.
Facebook has since taken the job listings down. But a Facebook spokesman confirmed that the company is “working to effectively identify and differentiate news and news sources across our platform.”
This is a backtrack on previous statements by Mark Zuckerberg, who has said he doesn’t want to be in the business of judging news on behalf of his users.
This follows news that Facebook is going to fully fund exclusive news content from establishment and left-wing media organizations on its platform. This is despite the fact that Mark Zuckerberg assured U.S. lawmakers that his company is not a publisher, and should not be regulated as such.
Allum Bokhari is the senior technology correspondent at Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter, Gab.ai and add him on Facebook. Email tips and suggestions to allumbokhari@protonmail.com
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