In September 2019, an unknown source informed Mashable, a digital media website founded by Pete Cashmore in 2005, that there is a glitch in Facebook Groups that allows Facebook Pages to easily create and spread fake news and all other misinformation through editable link previews, a preview that had been previously shut down two years ago. Before mid-2017, any user was able to edit the image, headline, and description of the link they pasted onto Facebook. However, in their fight against fake news and all other misinformation, they ended the ability for users to edit link previews in June of 2017.
The unknown source had sent a message to Facebook detailing the issue. The details included concern about the spread of information via malevolent users and a note that detailed how they had first reached out to the company about the issue earlier in the year. Ten days later, Facebook replied that they appreciated the unknown source's patience and are working to fix their technical problems. Furthermore, they're using the unknown source's feedback to improve the Facebook experience for everyone.
As of September 9, 2019, Facebook Pages can still edit link preview in Facebook Groups.
I've never used Facebook until I was required to in my Human Communication class. However, I am still intrigued by how willing people are to find loopholes in rules and regulations. I know that the websites who post fake news get something like 0.01 of a penny per click, but considering how many people get tricked by the headline and image, it can become a lot.
Related Article:
A Loophole Has Been Discovered With Posting Fake News on Facebook
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