Facebook has implemented a new safeguard for false news ahead of the elections [Photo/Mwakilishi.com]

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Facebook has introduced a new tool for Kenyans to aid in filtering out fake news ahead of Tuesday’s Election Day.

This follows a series of complaints on misleading propaganda and false news circulating Facebook and Whatsapp ahead of August 8.

Facebook has enabled a tool which will be available on the user’s News Feed. 

Once the user clicks on the icon they will be provided with information such as website addresses, links to the source and similar reports on the same topic.

The tool is available in Swahili and English.

Facebook serves around 7 million active users monthly in Kenya and has availed this tool to its users the next few days leading up to elections.

 “We take fighting fake news issues seriously because people want to see accurate information on Facebook. We’ve developed a three-part strategy to stop the spread of misinformation: disrupting the economic incentives for the spammers who attempt to distribute false news, building new products, and helping people better identify false news and report it,” said Ebele Okobi, Director of Policy at Facebook Africa as reported by The Star.