Facebook tweaks how it decides which videos to show you
The move is to “help people see more of the videos they care about and fewer of the videos they don’t,” the social network wrote in a blog post. Facebook is rolling out the changes starting today.
The announcement is part of a broader shift away from likes, comments and shares as a barometer for what is shown in users’ News Feeds. Two weeks ago, Facebook told publishers it’s filling people’s feeds with content based on how long they spent reading posts.
This method has both positives and negatives. The argument in favour posits that customising the News Feed to include what people are actually paying attention rather than a viral clickbait post could make Facebook a better experience. On the other hand, someone watching a video out of sheer curiosity instead of it being something they’re actually interested in, then it could have unintended consequences.
So careful what (and, increasingly, how) you click because Facebook is watching.
More like this
News outlets face losing control to Apple, Facebook and Google
Apple News vs. Facebook Instant Articles: How they compare
What publishers need to know about Facebook Instant Articles