Facebook is expanding the reach of public groups with new features that could lead to more people engaging in group discussions, but also potentially more visibility for dangerous or nefarious communities. The company announced multiple updates for Groups that include automating moderation and covering people’s News Feeds with group discussions.

The most intriguing update is starting out as a test at first. Facebook says it’ll start surfacing public group discussions in people’s News Feeds. These can show up if someone shares a link or reshares a post. Beneath that link, people will be able to click to see relevant discussions that are taking place about that same post or link in public Facebook groups. The original poster can then join the discussion even without joining the group.

Social Media company Facebook Inc. said it would start promoting content from public Facebook Groups in users’ news feeds and in search engine results, defying calls by watchdog groups to limit algorithmic recommendations ahead of U.S. elections next month.

In a blog post, Facebook app chief Fidji Simo said the company would surface recommendations in news feeds by showing “related discussions” from public groups next to a link or post. Facebook Groups are communities that form around shared interests, and public groups’ posts can be viewed by any user.

Simo said Facebook would also start showing conversations from public groups outside the app, such as in web searches. Facebook declined to specify when the changes would be rolled out, with a spokesman saying only that U.S. tests would begin “in a very limited capacity” in the coming weeks.

The company, which made groups a strategic priority last year, also said it was adding new moderation tools for the more than 70 million people running those communities to help them reject posts, lead discussions and arrange paid sponsorships.

At the same time, the company has faced a series of scandals over extremist activity within groups, including the spread of thousands of Boogaloo, QAnon and militia groups and communities promoting health misinformation. Facebook has gradually removed some such groups and limited recommendations to others.

Source- The Verge