Facebook's algorithm puts hoax story about 9/11 on Trending Topics

'We are aware a hoax article and have removed it' Facebook spokesperson says

Facebook's Trending Topics feature is all over the news again, for all the wrong reasons.

Just days after promoting a false and ridiculous article calling famous Fox News Megyn Kelly a 'traitor' and being forced to remove the article from Trending Topics, the scoial media giant has again been criticised for promoting an article from a British tabloid claiming that the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre collapsed due to "controlled demolition".



Days ahead of the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Facebook users hovering over the "September 11th Anniversary" were lead to a 'truthering' article by The Daily Star promoting a conspiracy theory that the World Trade Centre collapsed not because of damages caused by airplanes crashing into it but because of a "controlled demolition".

https://twitter.com/mjcontrera/status/774212549826977792

You're right, Facebook. Computers can TOTALLY do a better job than journalists. #FacebookTrending pic.twitter.com/iPcQfvXdAN

— Isabelle Chapman (@Isa_Chapman) September 9, 2016

#Facebooktrending using algorithms, not human editors= BAD. False stories promoted. Another strike against Skynet. https://t.co/MyLnxaTY4F

— Kish (@KS_EdMktg) September 9, 2016

However, Facebook later removed the article from its trending page and switched it with a local newspaper piece about a photograph bouncing off One World Trade Centre.

Acknowledging their blunder, a Facebook spokesperson told Mashable, "We are aware a hoax article showed up there and as temporary step to resolving this we've removed the topic."

These bloopers come week after Facebook removed human editors responsible for curating and describing the Trending Topics, leaving the job to artificial intelligence and technical staff.

Besides spreading a false news about Fox News' anchor, Facebook's Trending team promoted a video of a man masturbating with a McDonald's sandwich and a satirical take on the iPhone 7, faking news about Siri household chores.

https://twitter.com/Schrader_Adam/status/773901596925300736

This article originally appeared on Mashable.