Facebook adjusts news feed based on time spent on posts

Facebook is expanding its news feed ranking algorithm. It is already being determined whether or not a user wants to see content based on likes and comments, but the site will also measure how long attention is paid to posts.

In a news item, Facebook explains how the changes will work. According to the company, users do not always want to post a like or comment if they are interested in certain content. This can be the case, for example, with serious subjects. That is why Facebook will from now on measure how much attention is paid to a certain post, to determine whether content should be higher or lower in the ranking of the news feed.

Specifically, this means that Facebook keeps track of how long a certain post remains on the screen. If the user does not immediately scroll past it, but carefully reads the post and any comments, then that is a signal that the content is appreciated, according to Facebook. Similar posts will then appear higher on the news feed in the future.

The new ranking algorithm will be rolled out in the coming weeks. The new way of sorting content is likely to be introduced worldwide.