In a continuous effort to improve content and minimise clickbait, Facebook has launched two updates to limit videos containing a static image, and posts with fake video play icons.

Hold on now, this button is just painted on

Avid users of Facebook’s News Feed are no strangers to the trickery of fake posts. When a video is just a single image, or the play button is simply photoshopped to a picture, the clickbaiters have pulled a fast one.

In both cases, the ruse is meant to ensnare users to link to an inferior site often full of spam or information of a poorer integrity.

Facebook’s targeting process

To weed out the clickbait, Facebook’s updated News Feed algorithms will commence demoting any story featuring photoshopped play buttons or static images parading as video stills.

Reigning in spam content is apart of Facebooks strongly held News Feed values as they seek to respond to users’ concerns over clickbait articles.

Most publishers offering quality content on Pages will remain unaffected, only those using underhanded tactics need be concerned as News Feed becomes more hook and less bait.

Have you been burned by the clickbait tactics? How do you feel this will affect News Feed? Let us know what you think in our comments below.