Facebook Removing 'Trending' News Section Because People Found it 'Less and Less Useful'

[lbdesign]

I think the real problem here is people not wanting to read. If you read Facebook's full announcement, they are removing this in order to replace it with news videos. As reported elsewhere, they see the future is all-video. It also allows them to display video ads (ugh). This is particularly interesting because their news czar is a recent hire from the NYTimes.

I actually found the existing news feature helpful — using a laptop browser, not a mobile app. And I did click on the stories. I will miss it.

 

[DipDog3]

I think the real problem here is people not wanting to read. If you read Facebook's full announcement, they are removing this in order to replace it with news videos.

I agree, Facebook already has 40% of the video ad business (Youtube has 30%) and they want to capture more. I can see the day when everything on Facebook is autoplaying videos, no longer have to waste brain power reading.

 

[Swampthing]

Regardless of what method they use, the FB comments section is always filled with people who haven't read/watched the article making broad comment assumptions about what it says. Even when the answer is right in the article! THAT is the biggest problem.

 

[mhd2100]

When was this feature ever useful other than as a means for fake news to gain traction?

 

[lbdesign]

I agree, Facebook already has 40% of the video ad business (Youtube has 30%) and they want to capture more. I can see the day when everything on Facebook is autoplaying videos, no longer have to waste brain power reading.

Yes, it's feeling more like 1984 every day. Things are being dumbed down in the name of convenience. Moving us to passive video watching reminds me of the vocabulary reduction of Newspeak in Orwell's 1984. I'd prefer to see people thinking for themselves, and producing content rather than consuming content.