Monday 27th September: Facebook shares more about what gets demoted in newsfeed

September 27, 2021

Happy Monday! Today's newsletter is brought to you by Esther.

In a bid to be more transparent about how the News Feed works, Facebook has shared its "Content Distribution Guidelines" for the first time, detailing what kind of content gets suppressed by its algorithm.

The list (which isn't ranked) includes stories that have been disputed by users as inaccurate, links to spam sites, 'low quality' comments, and news articles without a clear byline, all of which will be suppressed without the author's knowledge.

If Facebook is still a key traffic driver for you, these guidelines are well worth a read to ensure you're not accidentally getting on the wrong side of the algorithm. It's great that these guidelines have been released too; more insight into what people are shown and why is vital for getting to grips with the enormous mess that social media is causing.

There's new data out from Gallup/Knight Foundation on how trust in the media varies by age. One interesting chart shows the different things that different age groups are looking for in trusted news organisations. 18- to 34-year-olds think that providing links to facts and research is very important. Interestingly, specific reporters and anchors are seen as least important by all age groups.

The written word is making a comeback in an unlikely place: TikTok. The reasons for that include accessibility concerns and changes in the way people are viewing media. This is an interesting look at content consumption trends, as well as pointing out that 3 in 4 people keep their phones muted throughout the day. If you're involved in video publishing on any platform, captions are no longer a nice-to-have.

An excellent overview of where the Hot Pod fits in to Vox Media's subscription product plans. But it also tells the story of friendship, partnership, trust and serendipity behind the growth of Hot Pod, and what they plan to do with it in the future. "We can bring new, exciting things to Hot Pod," said The Verge's Nilay Patel. "But before we start instituting change, we are going to have to prove we deserve the audience and their money."

This week's podcast:

The Manchester Mill is a subscription-based newsletter for the modern age. In this interview its founder Joshi Herrmann tells us why good local journalism demands having boots on the ground, how the sins of the past are impacting the journalism of today, and how he plans to expand into new cities and new revenue streams.

I'm writing this late on Sunday evening after my little one has gone to sleep. Although we're thankful to be making enough to cover our costs, we're grateful for any extra, and if you're able to buy us a virtual coffee, it makes every little bit of effort worth it. Find out more about how you can support us as a one off or every month here.