Facebook is making plans to expand its devoted section. And it says it is “considering” the UK, India, Brazil, France, and Germany as possible recipients, it announced on Tuesday. The timeline of the company is so unclear and confusing: “within the next six months to a year”. So, it’s so weird why Facebook would declare something that isn’t forthcoming yet.
However, given the eruptive history of Facebook. With the news industry and also the trend toward needing platforms to pay news channels for their content. It is very possible that the social media company is just testing the waters for its next action or step.
Facebook launched its News tab to US audiences in June
Facebook introduced its News tab to the US audiences two months ago (that was in June). The company did this with the intention to pay publishers that took part. To be certified as a partner, Facebook says publishers must pass its integrity standards and also have large audiences. The company mentioned it would be depending on third-party fact-checkers. So as to watch posts for sensationalist content, clickbait, and copyright violations.
Remarkably absent from the number of possible countries that would get the News tab next is Australia. Facebook currently uncovered its plans to pressurize tech platforms to pay for the free content they distribute. France, which is on the list of Facebook possible future news focus isn’t let out. Facebook actually told Google today for content from French publishers in April.
Campbell Brown’s Statement concerning the News content
In the announcement made on Tuesday. Campbell Brown, the company vice president of global news partnership mentioned that the News content may differ by country. The reason is to keep pace with the habits of consumers.
Here is what Campbell Brown wrote:
“We’ll work closely with news partners in each country. To tailor the experience and test ways to deliver a valuable experience for people. While also honoring publishers’ business models”.
There are so many reasons for news publishers in the United States somewhere else to be careful of Facebook’s news effort. The company’s News Feed algorithm and ad business have shown to be disastrous for the industry, especially for local news publishers. Also, its track record on news is disorganized with failures. Not excluding the notorious and hateful “pivot to video” movement of the early and mid-2010s. With publishers putting resources into video production looking forward to gaining from the video platform of Facebook. However, “Pivot to video” has now become a catchphrase which means “short-sighted failure”.
The reason is that it turned out Facebook had juiced the metrics. Also, there is the downfall of the2016 election cycle. And this made Facebook withdraw its Trending Topics section among accusations it was prejudiced in opposition to conservative media.
What the regulatory environment will be like for Facebook and other social media platforms six months to a year from now is what anybody can guess. And this may depend, at least in the United States, on the result of the presidential election held in November. Till then, it seems like Facebook is placing its cards close to the chest.
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