Facebook has steadily reduced its emphasis on news content, particularly local news, in its News Feeds. This shift is increasingly driven by artificial intelligence (AI), which controls what users see. Local news outlets, like the Southern Maryland Chronicle (SMC), now face a new challenge: AI algorithms that suppress their content while allowing automated bots to run freely, often promoting misinformation or irrelevant content.
While Facebook was once a powerful tool for connecting users to the latest local news, its current direction is forcing community news outlets to find new ways to engage with their audience. Despite these obstacles, there are still strategies readers can use to stay connected with SMC and their local news.
Facebook’s Evolving Relationship with News and AI’s Role
When Facebook began altering its News Feed algorithm in 2018 to prioritize personal interactions over public content, it marked the beginning of its retreat from news distribution. CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained that the goal was to shift the focus to “meaningful social interactions,” reducing the space for media organizations’ content, including news.
While this was a significant change, AI technology has since become the primary driver of how content is managed on Facebook. Today, the platform’s AI algorithms use advanced data tracking and machine learning techniques to determine what users see in their feeds. Facebook’s system prioritizes content that boosts user engagement, focusing more on entertainment and personal posts while de-emphasizing news—especially local news.
This suppression of news, however, is not evenly applied. AI technology has allowed bot-run pages and accounts to spread content freely, often with less scrutiny. Automated bots, some of which manage pages without human oversight, have taken advantage of Facebook’s relaxed regulation, leading to a rise in misleading or irrelevant content. For local outlets like the Southern Maryland Chronicle, which rely on genuine community engagement, this unregulated bot activity can dilute the news ecosystem, further reducing the visibility of credible local news.
The AI Impact on Local News and the Southern Maryland Chronicle
The Southern Maryland Chronicle has long used Facebook as a tool to reach local readers, sharing updates on community events, government decisions, sports, and local features. But as AI algorithms suppress news content, SMC’s posts are increasingly less visible to its followers. Meanwhile, AI-powered bots continue to distribute questionable content across the platform without being restricted by the same limitations. This imbalance has made it harder for real news to compete with noise generated by automated or low-quality pages.
The challenge for the Southern Maryland Chronicle is not only the reduced visibility caused by the AI-driven algorithm but also competing with pages that flood users’ feeds with irrelevant or misleading posts. As more bot activity grows on Facebook, readers can become disengaged from credible news sources, turning instead to sources with less rigorous editorial standards.
Why Facebook is Reducing Local News
Several factors have contributed to Facebook’s decision to move away from news, and AI is playing a significant role in shaping this new direction. The rise of AI-driven algorithms on the platform has been prompted by several key developments:
1. User Behavior Shift
Over time, Facebook has observed that users are engaging less with traditional news stories and more with entertainment and personal content. AI systems are designed to show users what they are most likely to interact with, meaning that news content—especially from smaller, local outlets—does not perform as well in the platform’s engagement-focused metrics.
2. Financial Incentives
AI allows Facebook to optimize its platform for profitability. News content, especially local news, does not generate as much advertising revenue as entertainment and personal posts. As a result, Facebook’s AI systems prioritize content that keeps users engaged longer, such as videos and viral posts. For outlets like the Southern Maryland Chronicle, this means fewer opportunities to appear in users’ feeds, even for those who follow their page.
3. Regulatory Pressures
In recent years, Facebook has faced growing scrutiny over its role in disseminating political news, misinformation, and harmful content. In response, the platform’s AI algorithms have been designed to reduce the presence of news altogether, especially around sensitive or controversial topics. This shift disproportionately affects small, local outlets, which may not have the resources to overcome the AI limitations through paid promotions or alternative engagement strategies.
How Bots Flourish Amid the AI News Suppression
While Facebook’s AI restricts local news content, bot-run pages have managed to exploit the platform’s systems. These pages, often controlled by AI-powered bots, publish freely and can gain visibility without human moderation. These bots generate content en masse, using automated systems to flood users’ feeds with posts that range from clickbait to outright misinformation.
Because these bot-run pages focus on content that maximizes user engagement (like sensational headlines, viral posts, or emotionally charged content), they often outperform local news stories in Facebook’s AI algorithms. This has resulted in a dynamic where credible news outlets struggle for visibility, while bots and low-quality pages continue to gain traction.
What Southern Maryland Chronicle Readers Can Do to Stay Connected
For readers of the Southern Maryland Chronicle who rely on Facebook to stay informed, the platform’s AI-driven news suppression presents real challenges. However, there are multiple ways to ensure that local news continues to reach you despite Facebook’s changing algorithms:
1. Subscribe to SMC’s Email Newsletter
The most direct way to stay connected to the Southern Maryland Chronicle is by subscribing to their email newsletter. Delivered straight to your inbox, this newsletter provides the latest local stories, community updates, and important news, ensuring you don’t miss anything, even if it doesn’t appear on your Facebook feed.
By subscribing, readers can avoid the AI gatekeeping that affects social media platforms and get curated news directly from a trusted local source.(We are restarting this in the next few weeks)
2. Visit the SMC Website Regularly
Rather than relying on third-party platforms, visiting the Southern Maryland Chronicle website directly can guarantee access to the latest stories. Bookmarking the SMC homepage and checking in regularly will allow you to see everything that is published, bypassing Facebook’s algorithms altogether.
3. Follow SMC on Alternative Platforms
The Southern Maryland Chronicle is active on other social media platforms, including Twitter (now X), Instagram, and LinkedIn. These platforms still allow for relatively straightforward news distribution, with less emphasis on AI-driven suppression of local news content. Following SMC on these channels can provide a more reliable source of updates compared to Facebook.
4. Use Facebook’s Notification Feature
Although Facebook’s algorithm limits the visibility of news stories, users still have control over some aspects of their experience. By going to the Southern Maryland Chronicle page and enabling notifications, you can receive alerts whenever SMC posts new content. This will ensure that you don’t miss important updates, even if the platform’s AI isn’t showing them in your feed.
5. Join Local Facebook Groups
Local Facebook groups remain an active space for sharing community news. Many Southern Maryland residents join community groups where users post and discuss news stories, local events, and important updates. These groups can provide a secondary avenue for engaging with content from the Southern Maryland Chronicle, especially if SMC’s stories aren’t appearing in your main feed.
6. Use News Aggregator Apps
News aggregator apps like Google News Showcase( The ONLY local news site on it) Flipboard, Feedly, or Apple News allow users to follow specific outlets and topics. These apps curate personalized feeds that bypass Facebook’s AI-driven algorithms, making it easier to access the stories you care about. By following the Southern Maryland Chronicle through one of these apps, you can ensure that its stories appear in your customized news feed, free from the constraints of social media algorithms.
Facebook’s Future with News and AI Suppression
As Facebook’s reliance on AI to manage its platform grows, the visibility of local news will likely continue to decline. For outlets like the Southern Maryland Chronicle, this means finding new ways to engage readers outside of Facebook’s ecosystem. Meanwhile, bots and low-quality content pages will continue to benefit from the AI-driven system, creating a more challenging environment for credible news to thrive.
For readers, staying informed will require a more proactive approach, using direct methods of engagement with local news outlets like newsletters, website visits, and alternative social media platforms. Local journalism remains a vital part of community life, and taking steps to stay connected will help ensure that stories about Southern Maryland continue to reach the people who need them most.
