Facebook News: Where Social Media Meets Breaking News

When you open Facebook news, a feed of headlines, videos, and posts curated by algorithms and shared by friends, not editors. Also known as social media news, it’s no longer just a place to see what your cousin ate for breakfast—it’s where major stories break, rumors spread, and trust gets rewritten every minute. Unlike traditional news sites, Facebook doesn’t write the stories—it decides which ones you see. And that power has reshaped journalism, politics, and even how we understand the world.

The Facebook algorithm, a complex system that ranks content based on engagement, not truth or importance. Also known as news feed ranking, it favors outrage, emotion, and speed over accuracy. That’s why a wild claim about a local politician can outrank a verified BBC report. The result? People are getting news from strangers, not reporters. And when those strangers have a financial incentive to drive clicks, the line between news and manipulation blurs. This isn’t just about misinformation—it’s about attention economics. Newsrooms now design headlines for Facebook shares, not readers. Stories are shortened, emotional hooks are added, and sources are buried. The Guardian, BBC, and even USA Today have adjusted their strategies because their audiences are no longer on their websites—they’re scrolling past headlines on Facebook.

What you’re seeing in this collection isn’t random. These posts explore how Facebook news changed the media landscape. You’ll find deep dives into who owns the stories you see, why local news is vanishing, and how outlets like The Guardian survive without ads. You’ll learn how the BBC fights fake news, why newspapers now rely on memberships instead of print, and how the UK’s cost of living crisis gets framed differently depending on whether it’s on Twitter, TikTok, or Facebook. You’ll see how a single post can spark a political scandal or bury a real story forever.

Facebook news isn’t going away. It’s the new town square. But like any public space, it’s filled with people shouting, selling, lying, and sometimes, telling the truth. The question isn’t whether you should use it—it’s whether you know how to read it.