Facebook stops efforts to make site less divisive among users

Facebook Inc has carried out its own research to analyse how the social media platform is being used by its users and expressed concern about its problems of 'sensationalism and polarisation'. According to the reports, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg adressed the potential harms faced by the users of Facebook. As per the reports, a research was conducted after several posts on social media came to limelight, especially in the past few weeks, which have been known for promoting fake and false information about COVID-19 cures and conspiracy theories about the origins of the coronavirus. The social media giant has reportedly taken huge efforts to curb the spread of misinformation during this crisis. 

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The company officials and other senior executives reportedly said that some proposed changes would have disproportionately affected conservative users and publishers,  at a time when the company faced accusations for political biasness. Facebook policy chief Joel Kaplan in a recent interview reportedly said that he and other executives had approved certain changes meant to improve the civic discussion. In some of the cases where proposals were blocked, he said that he was trying to "instil some discipline, rigor and responsibility into the process". 

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60% Americans think tech companies are divisive

A survey reportedly revealed that 60 percent of Americans think that the country's biggest tech companies are helping further to divide the country while only a marginalised 11 percent think that they are uniting it. Keeping in mind the Facebook's commitment to neutrality, the teams reportedly decided that Facebook should not intervene in people's opinions,  stop conflict on the platform, or prevent people from forming communities.  The company officials reportedly said that they will not come up with any kind of product that attempt or involve to change people's beliefs. They further added that they are "focused on products that increase empathy, understanding, and humanization of the 'other side'."

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