POSITIVE PRE$$

Facebook Paying British Newspaper for Sponsored, Favorable Articles

The social network paid for an article touting their efforts to get rid of terror two days before the Christchurch shooter live-streamed the massacre.

Facebook reportedly partnered with a British newspaper to publish a series of favorable features about the company, including stories that touch on subjects that the social media giant is often criticized for. According to Business Insider, the sponsored articles in The Daily Telegraph address issues like “terrorist content, online safety, cyberbullying, fake accounts, and hate speech.” The newspaper reportedly published 26 articles for Facebook in just over a month. In one article, Facebook product manager Tim Matthews claims the fact that the social network's “safety and security” team is growing is proof that the company is taking “serious measures to get this right.” Another article discussed how the platform was working to keep terror content off the site. Two days later, the Christchurch shooter murdered 50 people in a mosque while live-streaming the massacre on Facebook Live. Facebook spokesperson Vicky Gomes told Business Insider that the sponsored content was part of their “larger marketing efforts in the UK” with the goal of having a “positive impact on people's lives.”