Facebook's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has again rejected claims the social network affected the US presidential election, saying it is "extremely unlikely" news hoaxes changed the outcome.
Ensnared in a string of content controversies in recent months, Facebook is insisting it is a technology company, not a media firm. But scrutiny of the site has heightened since the surprise election of Republican Donald Trump, with critics alleging the site helped spread lies via fake news stories and hoaxes.
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Mark Zuckerberg rejects 'fake news' charge
The Facebook CEO dismisses claims that 'fake news' shared on the social network may have influenced the outcome of the 2016 US presidential election.
Zuckerberg vehemently defended the network against such criticism at a news conference on Thursday and then echoed the same stance in a post late on Saturday, though he said the company would do more to prevent fake news.
Such hoaxes represent a sliver of content shared on Facebook and because they are not limited to partisan views or politics, it is unlikely they could have changed the election's outcome, Zuckerberg said.
"Of all the content on Facebook, more than 99 per cent of what people see is authentic," he said, noting the network's goal is to "give every person a voice."
Still, Facebook has launched work to enable people to flag hoaxes and fake news, the statement said.
Facebook has faced a number of content controversies this year, including international outcry after it removed an iconic Vietnam War photo due to nudity, a decision that was later reversed. The thorniest content issues are decided by a group of top executives at Facebook.
Questions over content policing have returned to the fore in the tense days since the election, which has led to protests against Trump and his proposed policies in major USÂ cities.
Ahead of the November 8 election, Facebook users saw fake news reports erroneously alleging that Pope Francis endorsed Donald Trump and that a federal agent who had been investigating Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton was found dead.
Reuters
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