Sir. – I refer to a Facebook advertisement which offers “Tips for spotting false news”. If I remember correctly, the head of Facebook only last week gave a public undertaking that Facebook would itself clean up its act and remove false news and other unsuitable content from its platform. Are we now to believe that this advertisement falsely advises users to look out for themselves? Is this not backtracking on a promise? Surely it is Facebook’s responsibility to live up to its promises and undertake responsibility for removing false news. Only then will Facebook be able to forge a responsible reputation as a serious media outlet. In the meantime, I’m out. – Yours, etc,
G CLARKE,
Navan,
Co Meath.
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A chara, – The suggestion that Facebook "needs to switch off all of its advertising" from Robert Strunz (April 19th) is laudable but naive. Capitalism doesn't work that way. To conflate Mark Zuckerberg's apology for Facebook's sharing of users' data with genuine concern for those users is to misunderstand Facebook's business model. Users' data points are Facebook's product. We don't pay Facebook, advertisers do, and will only continue to buy advertising as long as Facebook can claim a sufficient volume of users. The purpose of the apology was to hold on to the greatest number of users. Facebook will fudge and procrastinate to maintain current revenue. – Is mise,
GREG SCANLON,
Shannon,
Co Clare.