back to article So how well did you block fake news, Google? Facebook? Web goliaths turn in self-assessment homework to Europe

The European Commission has published its first year of reports from platforms including Google, Microsoft, Twitter and seven European trade associations on how they are countering disinformation. The commission warned there was still a long way to go and major differences with just how open and transparent the companies were …

  1. Danny 5
    Mushroom

    Clickbait!

    Can't say much about google, as I do my very best to completely ignore their ads and anything else coming from them, but Facebook is still ridden with clickbait and obviously false "articles". I try to ignore that crap on facebook too, but it's so in your face it's hard to skip them sometimes. As far as I can see, they've done little to nothing to prevent this from happening.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Clickbait!

      >I try to ignore that crap on facebook too, but it's so in your face it's hard to skip them sometimes.

      It's actually very easy, don't use Facebook, simples.

      1. big_D Silver badge

        Re: Clickbait!

        Yep. All Facebook domains are blocked by my DNS server.

      2. MonkeyBob

        Re: Clickbait!

        Yes, you might be avoiding the clickbait, but what about the majority of the population that do use FaceBook who are still being fed mis-information?

        1. iron Silver badge

          Re: Clickbait!

          Unfortunately whenever I suggest a solution to the stupidity of others my partner tells me it would be against the Geneva Convention.

        2. phuzz Silver badge

          Re: Clickbait!

          I do wonder about this problem.

          Partly, if people know that you're not on facebook, it might help make them think there's a good reason for that (but don't become that person who always rants about how terrible they are at any opportunity, or no one will listen to you).

          Perhaps just drop little stories into conversation about what a scummy company they are, eg "you know that they won't pull a political advert even if it's a bald-faced lie?", "did you hear about so-and-so, getting scammed on facebook?".

          Might also be worth pointing out how much of the content is just designed to make you angry, so you'll click on things "I just found that I was much happier after I stopped using it, my blood pressure came right down".

          Also there's pointing out the lies, "did you see that thing on facebook? it said X, but it was complete bollocks, and it's just set up by Y in order to sell you Z".

          Some of those might work.

    2. Pascal Monett Silver badge

      Re: I try to ignore that crap

      Use Brave. You won't have to try anymore.

    3. Danny 2 Silver badge

      Re: Clickbait!

      I'd like to point out Danny 5 is just Danny 2 upside down. I'd like to claim to be the original Danny, but I have yet to see a Danny or Danny 1 here.

      Oh, and I'm not click bait but my Scottish brogue is American chick bait.

      Shout out to Dan the Old 55, and all the Dans, Dannys, Daniels and Danes here. Once we can accelerate the cloning process then this forum is ours.

      1. Danny 5
        Flame

        Re: Clickbait!

        Wait wait wait, you're not supposed to be here!

        You're running the risk of exposing us, you fool!

  2. iron Silver badge

    > Between March and September 2019, there were 31,586 political ads shown to Facebook users in Austria and a cost of €2,071,030, while German users saw 102,107 ads at a cost of €5,263,186.

    Germany has 10x the population of Austria so one would assume roughly 10x the FB users. So it's no surprise that more political adverts were shown in Germany. What is more surprising is that per person there were a lot more ads shown in Austria.

    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      >more surprising is that per person there were a lot more ads shown in Austria.

      Austria has a bunch of "not-at-all-alt" right parties , I suspect a lot of Trump-esque clickbait ads aimed at their followers

  3. Raja

    Simple. Get a subscription to NY Times and you get the news.

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