New Delhi: Facebook is taking stringent steps to reduce the circulation of false stories on its platform specially targeted for India elections, informed Facebook officials.
Facebook listed a variety of measures it is taking, from blocking fake accounts to employing third-party fact-checking organizations, through the campaign and voting, with polling scheduled to take place in stages from April 11 to May 19.
Calling the Indian elections a “top priority,” Samidh Chakrabarti, director of Facebook’s Product Management for Civic Integrity division, said the company has put in a “tremendous amount of efforts over the last two years” to prepare for the polls.
“Facebook has partnered with various Indian media organizations to check and flag false stories in English and as well as in regional languages”, informed Chakrabarti.
The social media giant came under immense scrutiny after it failed to prevent the spread of false information during the 2016 US elections when allegations of outside interference resulted in Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg testifying in the US Senate.
Facebook-owned messaging platform WhatsApp has also been repeatedly scrutinized by the Indian government and security agencies and asked to prevent the spread of false information and rumours that have been linked to mob killings.
There have been multiple reports of unrest due to the spreading of false news on WhatsApp.
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