Facebook Is All Set To Link Wikipedia To Its Platform

Facebook recently announced to introduce a “Knowledge” feature to its platform. This feature will link Wikipedia to Facebook. This culminates in helping users to gain knowledge directly from the platform.

The feature is still under testing! However, people will be able to use it on iOS, Facebook web and mobile application.

Any Facebook user now will be able to find information about anyone on Wikipedia, directly from Facebook. The feature will portray information on its side panel.

The feature is a great step in identifying and removing false information shared by people on Facebook. As, for most people, Wikipedia is a trusted source for their information.

This will surely help in building people’s trust in the information shared on the platform.

An illustration of this feature is shared by Matt Navarra on his Twitter handle:

New? Facebook shows Wikipedia snippits in search results

h/t @jc_zijl pic.twitter.com/zcbQJmauhE

— Matt Navarra – Exiting X… Follow me on Threads (@MattNavarra) June 9, 2020

Hence, this is surely a huge step for Facebook. Now, without leaving the platform, people will be able to access Wikipedia.

The feature is somewhat similar to Google’s “Knowledge Panel”. Google launched this feature in 2012.

For example, You are looking for information on 5G. To help you with your search, Facebook will highlight a Wikipedia link. From there, you can get some deep insight into 5G. Instead of trusting the information shared on its posts, you can research things on your own. It will help in avoiding the spread of false information, on the platform.

In the past decade, Facebook suffered excessively due to the propagation of false information on its platform. Due to its algorithm, controversial posts used to gain a lot of fame on the platform. A rumored post gains a lot of gossips!

These posts gained popularity in the search results. So, Facebook became a platform for the deception!

Although, in recent times, a lot has changed with Facebook. It has evolved on every front. It is all set to improve its reputation, and credibility of the information shared on the platform.

According to Facebook, the feature is limited in availability for now! It is mostly available in some parts of Europe.

We all must understand this!

During these tough times, it is really important to provide correct information. Since Facebook is a home for its billions of users, it is its moral responsibility to make sure that no false information is propagated over its platform.

Even small misinformation can create a ripple effect, in a negative direction, during these adverse times.

People trust the information shared on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Social media is developing perceptions of people.

According to Dr Stephen Croucher, who is a lead author and a professor of communication at Massey University in New Zealand:

“In the case of COVID-19, social media, and other media, were and are being used as venues to share and build ideas, values and morals, many of these are very positive, but some are not.”