Facebook says bug in anti-spam system mistook legitimate news stories for content violating rules
- Several users complained on social media that their posts, including those about the novel coronavirus outbreak, were taken down
- All content that was incorrectly removed has since been restored, Facebook’s vice-president of integrity Guy Rosen says
Facebook, Microsoft, Google team up against virus misinformation
In response, Guy Rosen, Facebook’s vice-president of integrity, said in a Twitter post that it was a bug in an anti-spam system.
Later he tweeted that all content that was incorrectly removed had been restored, including “posts on all topics – not just those related to Covid-19”.
“This was an issue with an automated system that removes links to abusive websites, but incorrectly removed a lot of other posts too,” Rosen added.
Purchase the China AI Report 2020 brought to you by SCMP Research and enjoy a 20% discount (original price US$400). This 60-page all new intelligence report gives you first-hand insights and analysis into the latest industry developments and intelligence about China AI. Get exclusive access to our webinars for continuous learning, and interact with China AI executives in live Q&A. Offer valid until 31 March 2020.