Facebook is taking steps to cut back the reach of populistic and provocative content.

In different words, Facebook’s news feed algorithmic rule are going to be demoting what’s usually observed as clickbait. This was declared in a very blog post written by Mark Zuckerberg within which he details the ways in which Facebook are going to be handling problematic content going forward.

Zuckerberg refers to clickbait content as “borderline.” It doesn’t quite break Facebook’s rules, however it will result in a poor experience for users.

Users have interaction more with borderline content compared to alternative kinds of content, Zuckerberg says. Even though users say that they don’t just like the content they’re going to keep engaging with it. The solution Facebook has come back up with is to delegate borderline content.

“This is a basic incentive problem that we can address by penalizing borderline content so it gets less distribution and engagement. By making the distribution curve look like the graph below where distribution declines as content gets more sensational, people are disincentivized from creating provocative content that is as close to the line as possible.”

Here is the graph that Zuckerberg is referring to:

Facebook can utilize AI systems to observe borderline content in order that it may be featured less in users news feeds. These distribution changes also will apply to content shared in Facebook groups.

Zuckerberg says his company determined that reducing the reach of borderline content is the best answer, instead of changing the principles on what’s allowed to be posted.

Going forward, publishers have to watch out that their content doesn’t come upon as sensationalist or it’s going to be penalised.

When doing a piece of writing, for instance, ensure the most content delivers on what people would expect when reading the headline.