Facebook is rolling out a fact-checking tool in the fight against fake news

Facebook has started trialling a fact-checking tool in the fight against fake news that alerts users to ‘disputed content.’

In December, the social media site announced that it would be teaming up with independent fact-checkers in a bid to curb the spread of false truths and misinformation on the site.

The resulting tool was first seen by Facebook users earlier this week as they attempted to share a story that falsely claimed thousands of Irish people were taken to America as slaves.

The article, titled: “The Irish slave trade – the slaves that time forgot”, was initially published by the American entertainment blog Newport Buzz only days before St Patrick’s Day on 17 March.

But when some users went to share it, they were faced with a red alert that stated the story had been disputed by both the Associated Press and reputable fact-checking site Snopes.

‘Sometimes people share fake news without knowing it. When independent fact-checkers dispute this content, you may be able to visit their websites to find out why,’ the warning reads.

‘Only fact-checkers signed up to Poynter’s non-partisan code of principles are shown.’

The Poynter code is known for promoting transparent fact checking in journalism, while the pop up links to both Associated Press and Snopes.

If users choose to ignore the warning, it will appear once more before they post it.

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Once posted, the same red alert warning will appear in other people’s timeline to make them aware of the story’s dispute accuracy.

In December, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg vowed to crack down on fake news – and said the social media giant had a ‘greater responsibility’ to provide accurate news to the public.

He said: ‘We’re a new kind of platform for public discourse – and that means we have a new kind of responsibility to enable people to have the most meaningful conversations, and to build a space where people can be informed.’