The limits of Facebook

Facebook is “a tech company, not a media company.” That’s not just the opinion of a few traditional journalists. It’s a quote from Mark Zuckerberg. And as Facebook’s recent troubles with truth illustrate, it’s a fact users need to remember.

Facebook may be a good place to keep up with friends and acquaintances, but when it comes to getting the news, it can’t substitute for the judgment of professionals at a news organization you trust.

Putting together a news report requires judgment. There’s common sense. There’s effort.

And if ethical commitment is not enough, news is backed by powerful incentives Facebook does not share. If you are in the news business, all you have is your credibility; if people don’t trust you, they won’t visit your site, let alone pay for a newspaper or a digital subscription. If you are a social-media site, people will keep coming whether you provide good journalism or not.

None of this is to say that Facebook doesn’t provide valuable services. But giving you an accurate report of the most important news of the day is not Facebook’s competency, or ambition. To better see and understand the world, you need journalists.