Source: The New York Times
Facebook has developed software to prevent certain content from appearing in users’ feeds, and the software could end up in the hands of Chinese government officials, as Facebook seeks to re-enter its market after the social network was banned in 2009.
The move has been highly supported by CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. The software would accommodate China’s strict censorship laws by giving a partner company access to the software. Facebook’s partner in China would then have the ability to decide which content to block from users’ feeds.
A number of issues will arise if Facebook decides to run with the idea — including the question of whether Facebook will remain a reliable news source for Americans, if it delivers a “lesser” version of itself through censorship to other countries. Facebook has previously allowed other countries to limit the content on users’ feeds by blocking it after its posted. This move, however, would allow the Chinese government to essentially curate the content that appears on users’ feeds.
Read full story at: The New York Times