A few months ago Facebook faced criticism and close scrutiny over how the content of peoples’ newsfeeds and trending stories are actually curated rather than based on impartial numbers. As a response to that controversy, Facebook got rid of its human editors in September and replaced them with an algorithm that automatically puts the top article for whatever topic is trending on top of the page.

But even though humans still watch over the system in case something goes wrong, the algorithm has gotten things very wrong. The Washington Post revealed on Wednesday that Facebook actually has repeatedly trended fake news since the change. Reporters conducted an experiment by looking deeper into the Facebook trending topics, and found that between the period of August 31 and September 22, they found five totally fake stories trending and three that were deeply inaccurate. They also found that things like links to iTunes, blog posts, and news releases often trended.

And social media users have noticed.

Facebook is literally nothing but fake articles, ultrasound pictures, engagements and arguements. Zzzzz

— Jeff Michener (@JeffMich4L) October 6, 2016

“I’m not at all surprised how many fake stories have trended. It was beyond predictable by anyone who spent time with the actual functionality of the product, not just the code,” said an employee who used to be on the team that oversaw “Trending,” speaking to the Washington Post on condition of anonymity.

I honestly can’t wait for the election to be over so everyone can go back to posting fake articles about celebrities dying on Facebook

— Madison (@_madisonike) October 5, 2016

One example of a fake story featured a man being kicked off of a college campus for praying, which was misinformed–the man was able to fill out some papers to keep praying in the campus area, but a student who had joined him for prayer was upset about it. Then there was a story about how fantastic the new iPhone is from a satirical fake news page, a news release from a discredited medical organization, and a story about 9/11 that falsely claimed to have proof that bombs were planted in the Twin Towers before the planes hit them.

The trending function on Facebook exists to highlight the most discussed and newsworthy topics of the day for its users. It is hard to know what Facebook is planning to do about the fake news–at a recent news conference it was indicated that the company might add filters to get rid of hoaxes and satirical content on the trending function, as it has on the newsfeed.

But, as scientist Walter Quattrociocchi told the Post, Facebook is an ideal breeding ground for conspiracies and misinformation due to its users’ tendencies to cluster together in like-minded groups. And combined with the personalized content in the newsfeeds, the fake news stories that are adapted to peoples’ personal likes risk increasing polarization between groups, and undermining understanding of people that are different. So let’s just all take Facebook with a grain of salt and keep an open mind.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Facebook Has Trended Fake Articles Since Getting Rid of Human Editors appeared first on Law Street.

Did Martin Shkreli send a mass email to just over 450 journalists about the recent Wu-Tang Clan album on Friday? That’s what reporters claim and they’ve taken to tweeting about the nightmarish experience all day. Whoever sent the email didn’t BCC the recipients, and a reply-all nightmare quickly unfolded. The incident quickly started trending. Here’s a recap:

Currently stuck on a reply-all chain started by Martin Shkreli, in case anyone is curious what hell looks like.

— Sam Adams (@SamuelAAdams) August 12, 2016

Dear god. @MartinShkreli sent a press release to 450+ journalists… and didn’t bcc. The man is pure evil. pic.twitter.com/zS5LYSPAuc

— Kyle Jaeger (@kylejaeger) August 12, 2016

Often called “The most hated man in America,” Shkreli, the 32-year-old former hedge-fund manager, became world famous after acquiring the American rights to distribute a life-saving drug that many AIDS patients rely on. He raised the price by more than 5,000 percent, sparking an international backlash.

The mass-email reportedly claimed Shkreli would let recipients listen to a track from the Wu-Tang Clan album “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin.” Shkreli, maintaining his widely-hated persona, bought the sole copy of the album for $2 million in 2015. The email also said, “When I reach 200k followers on Twitter, I will drop another track.”

Martin Shkreli recently made the news when he claimed that Hillary Clinton has Parkinson’s disease, based only on his own observations.

Shkreli claims that he never sent the email, but if he did, it would be a pretty good publicity stunt as the story quickly trended online.

wasnt me https://t.co/8mtsCSfbXc

— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) August 12, 2016

So far, the stunt has brought about mixed reactions:

BEING ON THIS MARTIN SHKRELI EMAIL CHAIN HAS CURED MY DEPRESSION

— Ali Segel (@OnlineAlison) August 12, 2016

Can’t get actual work emails to load on any device because of this stupid Martin Shkreli email chain I was oddly included on. #Help

— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) August 12, 2016

Who knows what really happened, but this tweet sums up the situation many reporters find themselves in pretty well:

TFW you’re on an email thread with 500 journalists, started by a fake Martin Shkreli, and everyone hits “reply all” pic.twitter.com/Yz5sdWHcsa

— Arielle Pardes (@pardesoteric) August 12, 2016

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Did Martin Shkreli Start a Massive Email Chain With 450 Reporters? appeared first on Law Street.

When you open the new augmented-reality app Pokémon Go, the first thing you’ll see is a loading message warning: “Remember to be alert at all times. Stay aware of your surroundings.” If you thought the message was slightly melodramatic, trust me, you’re wrong. Since its Wednesday release date, the Pokémon-catching app has already been linked to armed robberies and a newly discovered dead body. So before you start roaming the streets searching for hiding Pikachus or gyms to capture, review this list of some of the weirdly dangerous encounters Pokémon Go players have faced.

Dead Body

Beware any dead bodies while searching for Pokémon. A 19-year-old from Riverton, Wyoming discovered a dead person while playing the game Friday night. Shayla Wiggins told Buzzfeed that she discovered the corpse while taking an early morning walk by Big Wind River to find some Pokémon.

Wiggins was struggling to find any Pokémon, so she walked down to the rocky river bank. “As I looked one way, I noticed that there was something in the water in front of me,” she said. “And so I took a closer look and saw it was a body.” When she finally realized it was in fact a body, she immediately called the police.

#News #Worldnews #Reddit Pokemon Go player discovers dead body in river https://t.co/F1HrqLbXy7 morgaine17 July 08… pic.twitter.com/4NyXIpOs4l

— Loren Brite (@PhilcamLoren) July 8, 2016

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death–the corpse was an adult male–which appears to be accidental in nature and possibly caused by drowning. 

Armed Robbery

In Missouri, four suspects–who some have already likened to the villainous Team Rocket–used the app to target players in order to rob them. According to the Washington Post,

What Pokémon GO has to do with armed robbery and a dead body https://t.co/lTqyRw43vt #808news pic.twitter.com/DsvwdDoIH9

— khon2 News (@KHONnews) July 11, 2016

According to a Facebook post from the O’Fallon Missouri Police Department,

[Police] were able to locate four suspects occupying a black BMW a short time later and recover a handgun. These suspects are suspected of multiple Armed Robberies both in St. Louis and St. Charles Counties. It is believed these suspects targeted their victims through the Pokemon Go smart phone application.

The suspects were able to target players using the app’s pokestops–where players frequently gather–in remote areas, such as parking garages.

Injured Players

While the chances that you’ll be targeted by criminals while using the app are very slim, you should be extra cautious about causing accidental harm to yourself. From minor cuts and scrapes, to fractured bones, players are already reporting some serious Pokémon-related injures.

So I have had my first injury while playing #PokemonGO. pic.twitter.com/KKEfeQiHKH

— Ashten (@TheaAylaPokemon) July 11, 2016

One Redditor with the username Amalthea- claimed,

Not even 30 minutes after the release last night, I slipped and fell down a ditch. Fractured the fifth metatarsal bone in my foot, 6-8 weeks for recovery. I told all the doctors I was walking my dog lol… Watch where you’re going, folks!

Another player in New Zealand claimed to have face-planted while using his skateboard to search for Pokémon around his neighborhood.

Click here for a list of other injuries.

With users’ heads buried in their phones instead of observing their surroundings, injuries like these are bound to happen. However, they are entirely preventable.  In an effort to remind distracted Pokémon Go players not to use their cellphones while driving, the Ohio State Highway Patrol crafted a hashtag #DontCatchAndDrive.

Playing #PokemonGo? Please #DontCatchAndDrive! We know you want to catch ‘em all, but do so safely! pic.twitter.com/qaPoJ6fKgm

— Ohio State Patrol (@OSHP) July 11, 2016

For an explainer on what Pokémon Go is, check out the Washington Post’s rundown here. And while obviously most people playing the game have been fine, it’s always important to follow the game’s instruction and pay attention to your surroundings.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Pokémon Go Players are Getting Robbed and Finding Dead Bodies appeared first on Law Street.

When word broke Monday that Donald Trump’s campaign was essentially broke, having raised only $1.3 million to Hillary Clinton’s $42 million at the end of May, Twitter quickly reacted with the trending hashtag  #TrumpSoPoor.

The hashtag taunts the presumptive Republican nominee who prides himself on funding his own campaign because he’s “REALLY RICH!” 

Trump better hope that rich mindset of his can pay for his future campaign expenses. In the meantime, Twitter is fiercely chiming in with #TrumpSoPoor to point out the irony of Trump’s shrinking pockets.

#TrumpSoPoor He’ll have to start paying taxes

— Jocelyn Plums (@FilthyRichmond) June 21, 2016

#TrumpSoPoor even his fact check bounced

— Andrew Tumilty (@AndrewTumilty) June 21, 2016

One user called out GOP public assistance resentment.

#TrumpsSoPoor the @GOP is making him take a drug test before they give him any financial assistance.

— Raoul_Duke (@RaoulDuke99) June 21, 2016

#TrumpSoPoor he’s applying for public housing pic.twitter.com/D24IETllKk

— etymology of hip (@indianainsomnia) June 21, 2016

Another speculated Trump’s racist comments were taken from Ted Nugent, who has plenty to spare.

#TrumpsSoPoor He gotta borrow his racism from Ted Nugent.

— (((Crash Thompson))) (@TehRockCritic) June 21, 2016

Don’t think they forgot about that time Trump started a for-profit college that targeted poor people.

#TrumpSoPoor he’s being targeted by Trump University as a potential student.

— Bethany Albertson (@AlbertsonB2) June 21, 2016

Trump already wants Mexico to pay for his wall, but why not his campaign too.

#TrumpSoPoor he’s going to ask Mexico to pay for his campaign.

— BWD (@theonlyadult) June 21, 2016

#TrumpSoPoor he’s the first male politician in history to get less money than a woman working in the same position.

— (((Charles Clymer))) (@cmclymer) June 21, 2016

Needless to say, Donald Trump obviously doesn’t know what experiencing poverty is like, and the hashtag has received criticism for playing on the pain that vulnerable people face.

#TrumpSoPoor liberals made a hashtag so they could make fun of all the things actual poor people have go through everyday & not feel guilty.

— D (@Delo_Taylor) June 21, 2016

But #TrumpSoPoor is not about making fun of poverty and the problems poor people face, rather it is shooting sarcasm at a presidential candidate who has boosted himself repetitively as self-made and rich (as though these are the very best qualifications for the leader of a country.) This sarcasm is pointed at the self-aggrandizing candidate of a party.

Further, let’s not forget Trump was never poor or even struggling because 20 percent of his campaign expenditures are funneled back into Trump businesses. Trump is taking “self-funded campaign” to a whole new level because this campaign is clearly funding himself. While this could become an unsuccessful campaign due to failures to prioritize expenditures such as ad time, which will become necessary in the general election, Trump and his businesses are doing just fine.

Don’t worry about the state of Trump’s campaign fund though, Trump sent out his first fundraising email Tuesday, promising within that it would be “the most successful introductory fundraising email in modern political history.” Hopefully its success can beat the monumental introductory fundraising emails of ancient political history. 

Ashlee Smith

Ashlee Smith is a Law Street Intern from San Antonio, TX. She is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Journalism. Her passions include social policy, coffee, and watching West Wing. Contact Ashlee at ASmith@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post #TrumpSoPoor that He Can’t Afford to Defend Himself on Twitter appeared first on Law Street.

Facebook is fighting accusations that it censored conservative news on the site after Gizmodo published an exposé on the inner workings of Facebook’s “trending” section Monday.

The Gawker-owned tech blog interviewed several anonymous former Facebook “news curators,” who claimed that they were instructed to “artificially inject” selected stories into the trending news module, even if they weren’t popular enough to warrant inclusion–or in some cases weren’t trending at all.”

Former curators cited the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, and #BlackLivesMatter movement as examples of stories that were “injected” into Facebook’s trending news module, despite not actually trending.

The trending section in question refers to the small rectangular-sized portion located on the upper-right-hand corner of your Facebook newsfeed.

According to Facebook’s website, “Trending shows you topics that have recently become popular on Facebook. The topics you see are based on a number of factors including engagement, timeliness, Pages you’ve liked and your location.”

However, Gizmodo claims that trending stories covered by conservative news outlets such as Breitbart, the Washington Examiner, and Newsmax, were purposefully excluded unless mainstream news organizations like the New York Times, CNN, or BBC covered them as well.

The article alleges that Facebook instructed its curators not to include news about Facebook in the trending section as well. In an ironic twist, news surrounding Facebook’s possible conservative news conspiracy notably appeared in Facebook’s “Trending” that same day.

Just to be clear, exercising editorial control is a common practice in most forms of media, as it sets the tone for the publication and informs readers about the types of content they can expect to see covered. However, if Facebook is in fact operating more like a traditional newsroom rather than relying on neutral algorithms, its methodology for selecting trending topics should be amended.

In response to these allegations a U.S. Senate committee sent Facebook a letter Tuesday demanding answers. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation sent the letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg stating that these allegations “compromise Facebook’s ‘open culture’ and mission ‘to make the world more open and connected.'”

Facebook’s Vice President Tom Stocky responded to the allegations in a post Monday, denying allegations that social media site suppresses political perspectives. Stocky writes:

We take these reports extremely seriously, and have found no evidence that the anonymous allegations are true.

Facebook is a platform for people and perspectives from across the political spectrum. There are rigorous guidelines in place for the review team to ensure consistency and neutrality. These guidelines do not permit the suppression of political perspectives. Nor do they permit the prioritization of one viewpoint over another or one news outlet over another. These guidelines do not prohibit any news outlet from appearing in Trending Topics.

The Senate committee’s letter listed May 24 as the deadline for Facebook to respond with answers, even though it’s unclear what purpose these responses will have, or if Facebook will face any repercussions if its executives choose not to comply.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Did Facebook Curators Bury Conservative News? appeared first on Law Street.

There’s no denying the fact that Hillary Clinton is dominating the Democratic primaries. That said, underdog Bernie Sanders hasn’t let the presidential primary race turn into a runaway. On Saturday, Sanders nabbed sweeping victories in the caucus states of Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii, giving him a nice bump in electoral delegates.

In response to the wins, CNN credited the Vermont Senator’s success to a tendency to do well in “largely white and rural” states, warning that in order for Sanders’ to win he needs to “replicate this success in other, more ethnically diverse states that hold primaries.”

That description didn’t sit well with some of Sanders’ minority supporters.

Leslie Lee III, a writer in English teacher from Baton Rouge, Louisiana currently living in Yokahama, Japan, responded to the stereotype with some sarcasm. Lee jokes,

.@HillyesRose @MisaelFrancoO @TheBpDShow @cenkuygur Ever since I voted for Bernie, I’ve been bingewatching Friends. #BernieMadeMeWhite

— L. (@tokyovampires) March 27, 2016

And just like that the hashtag #BernieMadeMeWhite was born!

It didn’t take long for other minority Sanders’ supporters to jump on the hashtag’s bandwagon.

.@tokyovampires ever since I voted for Bernie I traded in my Timbs for Vans. #BernieMadeMeWhite

— Benjamin Dixon (@TheBpDShow) March 27, 2016

Then it sort of just spiraled out from there.

Ever since I voted for Bernie I deny racism and wear shorts in February. The media was right. #Berniemademewhite #FeelTheBern

— Aristotle McFly (@hollowman928) March 27, 2016

@TheBpDShow @tokyovampires I stopped seasoning my food. #BernieMadeMeWhite

— C. (@Maxplatypus) March 27, 2016

#MSM But how can Bernie win Hawaii with only young white men supporters? Check out #BernieMadeMeWhite for obvious answer. #FeelTheBern

— Fortitude (@Fortitude_1) March 27, 2016

#BernieMadeMeWhite Ever since I started to #FeelTheBern, I only dance like this pic.twitter.com/synwO93Xct

— SanBernaDingDong (@noreallyhowcome) March 27, 2016

Check out the #BernieMadeMeWhite tweets. So good. pic.twitter.com/unDPfbNo6z

— laurie allee (@laurieallee) March 27, 2016

Dear CNN, white power???#BernieMadeMeWhite @BernieSanders pic.twitter.com/0MmWWsbWmh

— tᕼe ᒪᑌᑕᗩᔕ ᗷᖇOᔕ (@lucasbros) March 27, 2016

Ever since I started supporting Bernie I suddenly lost my rhythm. #BernieMadeMeWhite

— lyn (@dlynaffor) March 27, 2016

Will someone please show me how to do my hair? It’s all so confusing since #BernieMadeMeWhite pic.twitter.com/rDI5QFoxiQ

— Coco Hops (@coco_hops) March 28, 2016

Ever since I started supporting Bernie, Don’t Stop Believing became my karaoke staple #BernieMadeMeWhite

— Jason Alexander (@soulcreator) March 27, 2016

#BernieMadeMeWhite My whole black family is losing its taste for hot sauce and spreading mayo on everything

— Chris Hamilton (@dteg32) March 27, 2016

#BernieMadeMeWhite and now I am looking to move out of this neighborhood, you know, cause of the property values, of course.

— Carolyn Hyppolite (@CKHyppolite) March 27, 2016

Finally I have white privilege.#BernieMadeMeWhite

— WesleyZ3 (@50th_President) March 27, 2016

And just like that #BernieMadeUsWhite #BernieMadeMeWhite #BernieMadeMeMillenial #BernieMadeMeMale pic.twitter.com/maiHJ3VHQc

— Dallas Fowler (@YoDallas) March 28, 2016

If loving him is wrong, i don’t wanna be right #BernieMadeMeWhite #BernBabyBern pic.twitter.com/qt5n4epz2e

— suZee (@BigOlSoulSista) March 28, 2016

I’m so thankful that #BernieMadeMeWhite.

Can we stop worrying about racial profiling and hate crimes now? pic.twitter.com/NqE1zD5bSz

— Simran Jeet Singh (@SikhProf) March 28, 2016

#BernieMadeMeWhite We are not invisible despite the media propaganda machine would have you believe pic.twitter.com/qGeuBKm2zD

— Nativespirit (@N8tive2spirit) March 28, 2016

#BernieMadeMeWhite & male so I don’t have to worry about maternal healthcare, paid family leave, or gender pay gap. pic.twitter.com/QXO48QiKtB

— Ashlyn Shockley (@ashlynshockley) March 28, 2016

This isn’t a picture of two friends, it’s actually a before and after voting for Bernie pic. #BernieMadeMeWhite pic.twitter.com/lHH9QJvTfB

— Lauren Sandernista (@welknett) March 27, 2016

The moral of the story is that Sanders’ supporters really don’t like being generalized, because white males aren’t the only demographic “feeling the Bern.” Don’t get me wrong, Sanders still has a long way to go. His campaign has struggled to secure the black and latino vote, which has repeatedly propelled Clinton to victory. With three more months still remaining in the primary race, he’ll need to rally more support among all demographics if he hopes to secure the nomination.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post #BernieMadeMeWhite Calls Out the Media Whitewashing of Sanders’ Supporters appeared first on Law Street.

The Iowa caucuses were on Monday and I, for one, am still experiencing a political hangover. It seems like so far the 2016 election cycle has been dragging on for a really long time, and we still have nine months to go before we actually even vote in the general election. It may be that general feeling of political exhaustion that inspired a hashtag to start trending today: #BetterWaysToElectPOTUS. The hashtag appears to have been originated by pop culture Youtube show Midweek Minute, hosted by a comedian named Will Presti.

While some of the submissions are serious, many are based on fantastic, non-sensical suggestions that really could spice up the 2016 race as it stands. Check out some of my favorite submissions below:

Buzzfeed quiz #BetterWaysToElectPOTUS

— Taylor Baxter (@itsTaylorBaxter) February 3, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post #BetterWaysToElectPOTUS: Has Campaign Fatigue Set in? appeared first on Law Street.

There’re a lot of pointless and strange national “holidays.” For example, March 30 is National Pencil Day. June 17th is National Flip Flop Day. My birthday, August 23rd, also happens to be National Sponge Cake Day. Pretty much every day is National _____ Day–and today just so happens to be “Love Your Lawyer Day.”

Today has officially been designated “Love your Lawyer Day” by the American Bar Association. In a resolution passed last month, the ABA stated that today:

Lawyers throughout the nation are urged to celebrate ‘Love Your Lawyer Day’ to help promote a positive and more respected image of lawyers and their contributions to society.

The inception of Love your Lawyer Day is credited to the Fort Lauderdale-based American Lawyers Public Image Association, specifically an attorney named Nader Anise. He said he hopes that lawyers celebrate it by taking on pro bono work or donating to charities, and the general public can celebrate it with a moratorium on making fun of lawyers for the day. After all, only 21 percent of the general public thinks that lawyers are ethical; although to be fair, that’s the highest public opinion has been in two decades.

On Twitter, #LoveYourLawyer started trending, with a wide variety of reactions. Some are thankful about the day and others think it’s silly. Brian Tannebaum, a well-known criminal defense attorney and author told The Wall Street Journal:

I think it’s ridiculous. I haven’t seen ‘Love Your Doctor Day’ or ‘Love Your Accountant Day.’ It’s making lawyers what they already are: an open target for criticism.

Others thought it was nice, taking to Twitter to celebrate with the hashtag #LoveYourLawyer:

It’s #LoveYourLawyer Day! Call your lawyer and say how much you appreciate them! Unless they bill by the hour, then just send good thoughts.

— Attorneys Online (@AttorneysOnline) November 6, 2015

Today is #LoveYourLawyer day. Unfortunately, our professional code of conduct really prohibits loving your lawyer. High five, instead? — Melissa Carleton (@MCarletonOhio) November 6, 2015

It’s #loveyourlawyer day and #nationalnachoday. Please feel free to show me your love through nachos. — Catarina Gonzales (@thecatarina) November 6, 2015

So, happy Love Your Lawyer Day. Make sure to pass some adoration around to all the lawyers in your life.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Happy #LoveYourLawyer Day appeared first on Law Street.