Digital Smarts - Facebook’s Trending Topics Under Scrutiny

Facebook has become a popular news source for many, but recently has come under scrutiny for omitting conservative new stories from the site’s trending list. Facebook released a 28-page document that was sent to employees, detailing how to determine what news stories are the most popular and providing editorial guidelines for the team of editors who oversee the Trending Topics feature. The Associated Press has put together a Q and A on the topic. A discussion of this controversy could lead to a constructive conversation with your kids about analyzing what they read online, checking sources, and a reminder to go beyond the first two or three suggested resources in a Google search to make sure they get more perspectives or viewpoints on any topic.