Facebook changes ‘trending’ criteria

Facebook says it is dropping its reliance on news outlets to help determine what gets posted as a “trending topic” on the giant social network, a move adopted after a backlash over a report saying it suppressed conservative views.

Facebook’s General Counsel Colin Stretch outlined the change to Republican Senator John Thune, chairman of the commerce, which oversees the internet and consumer protections.

A Gizmodo report, which relied on a single anonymous former Facebook worker with self-described conservative leanings, claimed that Facebook downplays conservative news subjects on its trending feature.