Facebook Inc. is still doing its best to prove that it can deal with the fake news stories that plague its platform, and the social media company announced yet another feature today to combat bogus articles.

Facebook has decided to do away with its “Disputed Flags,” which displayed a red warning badge under stories that have been tagged as fake. Instead, Facebook is rolling out its Related Articles feature, which the company tested back in April. Rather than warning users not to trust a story, Related Articles will offer additional articles on the same subject to give users more reliable information from other sources.

According to Facebook, the Disputed Flags badges may have been doing more harm than good, which is why it’s switching tactics.

“Academic research on correcting misinformation has shown that putting a strong image, like a red flag, next to an article may actually entrench deeply held beliefs – the opposite effect to what we intended,” Facebook Product Manager Tessa Lyons said in a blog post. Related Articles, by contrast, are simply designed to give more context, which our research has shown is a more effective way to help people get to the facts. Indeed, we’ve found that when we show Related Articles next to a false news story, it leads to fewer shares than when the Disputed Flag is shown.”

Facebook also announced today that it’s launching a new initiative to better understand how users determine whether they should trust a story. Lyons said that this initiative will not immediately affect users or Facebook’s platform, but she said that the company will use the information to gauge its success in fighting fake stories and educating users on how to spot untrustworthy sources.

According to Lyons, fake news “undermines the unique value that Facebook offers: the ability for you to connect with family and friends in meaningful ways.”

The new Related Articles feature may be a step in the right direction, but Facebook’s struggle against hoaxes and fake stories is nothing new. The problem took center stage during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and Facebook was even forced to appear before Congress earlier this year to explain its role in unknowingly selling political ads to a Russia-backed organization.

Facebook has launched a few other initiatives in place to fight fake news, including its partnership with The Trust Project. Lyons said Facebook will continue listening to user feedback and developing new features to make the social network more trustworthy.

Photo: Facebook