Facebook Warns on Fake News in Mexican Presidential Campaign

(Bloomberg) -- After coming under fire for its role in the 2016 U.S. election, Facebook Inc. is taking steps to prevent what it calls fake news during Mexico’s presidential campaign.

The social-networking giant on Tuesday placed full-page ads in prominent Mexican newspapers including El Financiero under the title “Tips to Detect Fake News.” The company’s logo appears on the top left corner.

After the election of President Donald Trump, Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg had to respond to critics who said that certain viral stories on the network -- such as a false report saying that the pope had endorsed Trump -- could have swayed the election. The Menlo Park, California-based company has worked with First Draft, a nonprofit journalistic coalition, to come up with tips to detect misinformation.

In the newspaper ads on Tuesday, the company lists 10 tips, such as “Doubt the headline,” “Check the source” and “Carefully observe the URL.” At the bottom of the page, a banner reads, in Spanish, “Together, we can limit the diffusion of fake news.”

Facebook said the ads are an effort to help improve digital literacy and part of its push to combat the spread of false news and misinformation.

Mexico votes for president July 1.

--With assistance from Sarah Frier

To contact the reporter on this story: Andrea Navarro in Mexico City at anavarro30@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Crayton Harrison at tharrison5@bloomberg.net, Mark Schoifet, Rob Golum

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