Facebook algorithm ‘pushes conspiracy theories at climate change sceptics’

Facebook’s automated algorithms push climate change sceptics to read increasingly extreme conspiracy theories and misinformation about global warming, a study has found.

Instead of recommending reliable sources of information about climate change to those who deny that human activity is warming the atmosphere, Facebook’s algorithms push sceptics ever further down a rabbit hole of fake news and false information, researchers have said.

A report released by Global Witness, a climate-based human rights group, created two Facebook users called Jane and John.

Jane’s account was used to “like” a Facebook page containing conspiracy theories claiming that climate change is not real or not human-driven.

John’s account was used to like the page belonging to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a reputable source of information on