Facebook Looks to Discourage Clickbait Content

Before proceeding any further, let’s inform the unknowing about what ‘clickbait’ content is. Just as the name given to it suggests, this type of content baits a user to click.

It can be done through provocative or sensationalist information and analyses. When people across such kind of content, the sheer unbelievable quality of the content encourages them to share it on social media networks like Facebook. However, there is little factual or correct information present in such content. It is nothing short of rumor-mongering.

What is Facebook Clickbait or Borderline Content?

In the light of ‘fake news’ and misleading information being dealt with harshly across the globe, Facebook is now coming down heavily on this kind of clickbait content.

Facebook has categorically tagged this kind of content as ‘borderline’. In other words, such content are not really offensive or liable to be penalized or withdrawn from the social media platform. Yet, they cannot be left untouched to circulate and spread rumors.

Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, has decided to strike a balance when it comes to such content. He intends the Artificial Intelligence (AI) of Facebook to detect such borderline content quickly.

On being detected, the algorithms of Facebook, with the help of AI, will discourage this kind of material from being dug out by users. So, if you create content that does not fall into this category, general users of Facebook are more likely to come across your material as opposed to content which can be classified as clickbait.

To make matters even clearer, if you write and publish clickbait content, Facebook will not give them solid ground to stand on their feet. In decreasing levels of importance in the algorithm, they will soon fade away with no viewers finding them on Facebook pages. Here’s what Zuckerberg wrote on a blog post about their stance:

“This is a basic incentive problem that we can address by penalizing borderline content so it gets less distribution and engagement. By making the distribution curve look like the graph below where distribution declines as content gets more sensational, people are disincentivized from creating provocative content that is as close to the line as possible.”

Content creators, beware!