How Facebook's Algorithm Promotes Misinformation

Conceitos essenciais

Facebook's algorithm, designed to maximize user engagement, has inadvertently promoted misinformation and extremism on the platform, leading to real-world consequences such as inciting violence and contributing to political polarization.

Resumo

Facebook's algorithm was designed to maximize user engagement by creating personalized feedback loops for each user. The company used machine-learning models to track their impact and continually monitor them. However, this approach led to favoring controversy, misinformation, and extremism. This resulted in real-world consequences such as inciting violence in Myanmar. Despite internal awareness of these issues, proposed fixes were considered "antigrowth" and did not move forward.

Estatísticas

Called FBLearner Flow, it allowed engineers with little AI experience to train and deploy machine-learning models within days.
By mid-2016, it was in use by more than a quarter of Facebook’s engineering team and had already been used to train over a million models.
64% of all extremist group joins are due to Facebook's recommendation tools.

Citações

"That’s how you know what’s on his mind." - Joaquin Quiñonero Candela
"The question for leadership was: Should we be optimizing for engagement if you find that somebody is in a vulnerable state of mind?" - Former AI researcher
"Some of the ideas were 'antigrowth.'" - Mid-2018 document reviewed by the Journal

Principais Insights Extraídos De

How Facebook got addicted to spreading misinformation

by Karen Hao às www.technologyreview.com 03-11-2021

https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/03/11/1020600/facebook-responsible-ai-misinformation/

Perguntas Mais Profundas

Should social media platforms prioritize user engagement over potential real-world consequences?

Social media platforms should not prioritize user engagement over potential real-world consequences. While user engagement is important for the success of these platforms, it should not come at the expense of promoting misinformation, extremism, or inciting violence. Social media companies have a responsibility to consider the broader impact of their algorithms and features on society. The case of Facebook's role in escalating religious conflict in Myanmar serves as a stark reminder of the real-world consequences that can arise from prioritizing user engagement without considering the potential harm it may cause.

What are the ethical responsibilities of social media companies when it comes to promoting content?

The ethical responsibilities of social media companies when it comes to promoting content include ensuring that the content being promoted aligns with community standards and does not contribute to misinformation, extremism, or polarization. Social media companies should prioritize the well-being and safety of their users over maximizing engagement metrics. This involves implementing measures to identify and mitigate the spread of harmful content, as well as being transparent about their efforts to promote responsible content sharing.

How can social media algorithms be improved to minimize the spread of misinformation?

To minimize the spread of misinformation, social media algorithms can be improved by incorporating mechanisms that prioritize accuracy and credibility in content distribution. This can involve leveraging AI and machine learning models to detect and flag potentially misleading or false information before it reaches a wide audience. Additionally, promoting diverse perspectives and fact-checking sources can help counteract echo chambers and reduce the amplification of misinformation. Furthermore, implementing stricter guidelines for content recommendation algorithms can prevent the inadvertent promotion of extremist groups or divisive content. Regular monitoring and evaluation of algorithmic impact on user behavior and societal dynamics are also essential for continuous improvement in minimizing misinformation spread.