Facebook kills 'trending' news


Facebook announced Friday it will shut down the "trending" section of its newsfeed, which uses an algorithm to show users a selection of timely headlines.
Introduced in 2014 with human curation in its first version, the feature has become increasingly unpopular among users following accusations of anti-conservative bias and accidental promotion of fake news stories. Use has declined over time, particularly because the section was not easy to find on mobile. Tragically, "trending" reported its own death.
In place of "trending," Facebook is testing new features, including a "breaking news" label some 80 news outlets will be able to apply to some posts to highlight them for readers, perhaps with push notifications. Local news stories will receive more attention in a feature called "Today In," as will news videos hosted within the Facebook network.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Bonnie Kristian was a deputy editor and acting editor-in-chief of TheWeek.com. She is a columnist at Christianity Today and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (forthcoming 2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). Her writing has also appeared at Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and The American Conservative, among other outlets.
-
David Hogg challenges Democrats' 'ineffective' old guard
Talking Points He plans to fund primary challenges to Democratic incumbents
By Joel Mathis, The Week US
-
Today's political cartoons - April 28, 2025
Cartoons Monday's cartoons - political parties, COP30, and more
By The Week US
-
Virginia Giuffre: Prince Andrew accuser who stood up to 'power, money and privilege'
In The Spotlight Woman at the centre of Jeffrey Epstein scandal and advocate for sex trafficking victims, has died aged 41
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US