Our next update on our 2018 focus to make sure Facebook isn't just fun but also good for your well-being and for society...
We're making a series of updates to show more high quality, trusted news. Last week we made an update to show more news from sources that are broadly trusted across our community. Today our next update is to promote news from local sources.
People consistently tell us they want to see more local news on Facebook. Local news helps us understand the issues... that matter in our communities and affect our lives. Research suggests that reading local news is directly correlated with civic engagement. People who know what's happening around them are more likely to get involved and help make a difference.
When I traveled around the country last year, one theme people kept telling me is how much we all have in common if we can get past some of the most divisive national issues. Many people told me they thought that if we could turn down the temperature on the more divisive issues and instead focus on concrete local issues, then we'd all make more progress together.
Starting today, we're going to show more stories from news sources in your local town or city. If you follow a local publisher or if someone shares a local story, it may show up higher in News Feed. We're starting this first in the US, and our goal is to expand to more countries this year.
Local news helps build community -- both on and offline. It's an important part of making sure the time we all spend on Facebook is valuable. I'm looking forward to sharing more updates soon.