Skip to main content

Facebook News just expanded. Here’s how to customize your news tab

After launching tests to limited locations in the fall, Facebook’s dedicated news tab now houses local news for users in the U.S. Moving from testing to an official product this spring, Facebook introduced local news into the new tool. Facebook News houses journalism exclusively from a list of vetted sources while using algorithms to personalize the news that each user sees.

The Facebook News tab comes as social networks face increasing scrutiny for handling of fake news. Publishers on the new dedicated tab are selected based on “integrity signals” which Facebook developed with journalists to determine what publishers to include. The list is designed to eliminate publishers that share fake news and clickbait. The tab is partially determined by algorithms and part human curators, with journalists selecting the top stories listed in the first subsection of the new tab.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Facebook told Digital Trends that the Today tab will soon be absorbed into the News tab to place local and national news in one location. The social network also says it is testing news video.

Located in the Facebook menu by tapping the three-line “hamburger” and then finding the news box, the News Tab is divided into subsections at the top. The first section covers top news, as well as sections for common topics like sports and science. A local tab at the top directs users to news in their area or from a city selected in the settings. The sections may also change with the news — for example, George Floyd Protests is currently a dedicated tab.

Facebook, however, is giving people some control over what news they see through different controls. On any Facebook News article, tap the “…” to see additional options. In the pop-up menu, you can choose to hide the article or hide all articles from a specific source. 

If the article just doesn’t mesh with your interests, tap on the “Give feedback on this article” option, and select “not relevant to my interests,” then tap the next button.

The News settings also houses a handful of options, accessible by tapping the gear icon in the upper right corner. The top section allows you to set your city to receive local news — choosing a larger nearby city will result in more news articles than using a small town. Under the curated content section, users can choose to eliminate the stories chosen by journalists and only read stories selected via algorithms.

Fighting fake news is an ongoing struggle for the social media platform that’s often criticized for spreading fake news while others cry censorship when content is removed for violating the network’s misinformation policies. Sourcing news from a list of reputable sources may help, but the new launch doesn’t affect articles shared in the News Feed. Many users go straight for the News Feed, and the news tab’s location in the settings menu may mean some users won’t realize its existence. 

Editors' Recommendations

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
Facebook wants to ‘strengthen democracy’ with a news tab. What could go wrong?
Close-up on Facebook's new News Tab on the Facebook App

Amid growing criticism, Facebook wants to “strengthen democracy” by rolling out a dedicated spot for news from reputable sources. On Friday, October 25, Facebook began testing Facebook News, a dedicated tab for news articles on Facebook. The launch comes as the network faces growing criticism for fake news, election interference, and the decision not to fact check political ads.

While news will still appear in the news feed as before, Facebook News aims to create a dedicated space for users to get their news. The tab will be partially run by algorithms, but the content in the Today’s Stories section will be curated by journalists looking for original reporting. Facebook says the tab was built with input from news organizations and that the human curation stemmed from the suggestions provided by professionals in the industry.

Read more
Facebook is getting interested in news again with News Tab launch
Facebook Logo

News junkies on Facebook will be pleased to know that the social networking giant is about to launch its News Tab feature.

The unveiling will take place at a special event in New York City on Friday, October 25, with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg — fresh from his appearance before the House Financial Services Committee — and Robert Thomson, chief executive of News Corp., doing the honors.

Read more
Here’s how Mark Zuckerberg plans to defend Facebook Libra in front of Congress
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in Washington, D.C.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will argue before Congress on Wednesday, October 23 that the social network's cryptocurrency, known as Libra, is essential to expanding banking access around the globe, according to a written version of his testimony released Tuesday.

"There are more than a billion people around the world who don't have access to a bank account, but could through mobile phones if the right system existed," Zuckerberg said. "This includes 14 million people here in the U.S."

Read more