Facebook will add labels such as “satire page” or “public official” to posts to help users “better understand” the intent behind posts, the company announced on Thursday.
The labels will appear underneath Facebook posts from various public accounts and will include a description for why the post is labeled, according to a statement from Facebook Newsroom.
Starting today in the US, we’re testing a way to give people more context about the Pages they see. We’ll gradually start applying labels including ‘public official,’ ‘fan page’ or ‘satire page’ to posts in News Feed, so people can better understand who they’re coming from. pic.twitter.com/Bloc3b2ycb
— Facebook Newsroom (@fbnewsroom) April 7, 2021
The label feature is already being tested in the United States, the company said, adding that more posts will gradually become labeled over time.
Facebook‘s effort could potentially serve as a crackdown on misinformation, reducing the likelihood of someone taking tongue-in-cheek content seriously, such as posts from satirical sites, including the Onion and the Babylon Bee.
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The labels are added “so people can better understand who they’re coming from,” Facebook said of the feature.
It would not be the first time Facebook has added labels to posts. In June, Facebook announced it would begin “labeling media outlets that are wholly or partially under the editorial control of their government as state-controlled media.”
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The Washington Examiner reached out to Facebook for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
