💬
Product Design- Facebook
📌 Problem Statement
How would you prevent hate, misinformation or deep-fakes on
Facebook?
1. Introduction
Facebook was founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin
Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes, all of whom were students at Harvard University. It
is a social networking platform owned by Meta Platforms. Facebook’s mission
when it started was: “To give people the power to share and make the world more
open and connected.” Over the years, it evolved into: “Bring the world closer
together.” The idea behind both is simple: help people stay connected with
friends, family, and communities, no matter where they are. Facebook aims to
create a space where people can share their lives, ideas, and experiences,
fostering a sense of connection and belonging.
Facebook became the largest social network in the world, with nearly three billion
users as of 2021, and about half that number were using Facebook every day. Its
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widespread adoption spans across age groups, geographies, and cultures,
making it a critical player in the digital landscape. Despite facing competition from
platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, Facebook remains a key platform for social
connectivity, especially with the integration of its services like Instagram,
WhatsApp, and Messenger under the Meta umbrella.
While Facebook has revolutionized how people connect and share information, it
has also faced significant challenges with hate speech, misinformation, and deep-
fakes. These issues have raised concerns about the platform’s role in influencing
public opinion and societal divisions. According to a 2018 report by the Anti-
Defamation League (ADL), Facebook was a major platform for the spread of hate
speech, with a notable increase in hate-fueled incidents. During the COVID-19
pandemic, 59% of vaccine-related misinformation on social media was linked to
Facebook, and fake videos often got millions of views before being taken down.
While Facebook has spent over $5 billion on safety tools and uses AI and fact-
checkers to fight these issues, it’s still hard to catch everything. Fixing this is
super important to keep Facebook a safe place for people to connect and trust the
information they see.
2. Clarifying Questions
Interviewer: In today’s world, issues like hate speech, misinformation, and deep-
fakes have become significant concerns. They need to be addressed. So, I’d like
to ask how you would approach preventing these problems on a platform like
Facebook?
Interviewee: That’s a great question, and you’re absolutely right-it’s one of the
most pressing issues in social media today. Before I dive into the problem, I would
like to ask some clarifying questions to ensure we are aligned on what we are
trying to achieve. It will help me to prioritize the right areas. Would you mind if I
asked some clarifying questions first?
Interviewer: Sure, Go ahead.
Interviewee: Thank you! So my first question is, should we be addressing these
issues across all content, or should we target more specific types of content, such
as those related to sensitive events.
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Interviewer: Let’s focus on sensitive events, like elections and health crises, as
these tend to have a larger, more immediate impact.
Interviewee: Yes, I agree. Are we focusing on addressing issues in any particular
type of content, such as text, images, or videos, or should we be addressing all
forms of content?
Interviewer: We are addressing all forms of content.
Interviewee: Okay! My next question is are we building products on an app or
web?
Interviewer: Let’s focus on the app version of Facebook, as it’s the most widely
used platform.
Interviewee: Great! Are we looking for a particular geographical region?
Interviewer: We want a solution that scales across global regions.
Interviewee: Understood! Do we have any constraints regarding resources or
timeline?
Interviewer: There are no resources or timeline constraints.
Interviewee: Okay, just to recap: we are looking to address hate speech,
misinformation, and deep-fakes on Facebook, with a particular focus on sensitive
events such as elections and health crises. Our solution will be designed for the
app version of Facebook and needs to scale across global regions. There are no
resources or timeline constraints.
3. User Segmentation
User Segment Behavior Age Motivation
1. Actively produce and
share content. 1. Building a personal
Content 2. Engage with their brand or business.
18-35
Creators audience through 2. Gaining fame or
comments, live streams, recognition.
and collaborations.
Content 1. Regularly engage with 16-40 1.Enjoying social
Interactors others’ content by liking, interactions, staying
commenting or sharing. updated on current
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User Segment Behavior Age Motivation
2. Spend time browsing trends and news.
through the feed, 2. Connecting with
discovering new content, friends and building
and engaging in social networks.
conversations.
1. Passively watch or read
1. Entertainment,
content without engaging
relaxation, or staying
Content much in comments, likes, or
18-50 informed about trends
Consumers shares.
or news.
2. Spend time browsing
2. Learning new things.
feeds.
📌Let’s prioritize one user segment, to narrow down the scope of our task.
For the task, we are prioritizing Content Interactors. Rationale for prioritizing this
segment are as follows-
1. Amplification of Content: Interactors are the ones who engage with content
by liking, commenting, sharing, and reacting. Their actions can amplify both
positive and negative.
2. Viral Potential: Even if content creators are responsible for posting harmful
content, it’s the interactivity of users that helps content go viral.
3. Mass Reach: This segment is so large and diverse, changes here would likely
have a significant and widespread impact on the platform.
4. User Persona
Name: Amit Khanna
Background: Amit is a 38-year-old professional living in Mumbai, India. He is
highly tech-savvy, with a busy professional and social life. He uses Facebook
multiple times a day to stay connected with friends and family, catch up on the
latest news, and share his thoughts on trending topics. He enjoys reading and
engaging with content, especially around politics, health, and entertainment, and
is an active member of several Facebook groups that align with his personal
interests.
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User Journey:
1. Awareness: Amit opens the Facebook app and browses his newsfeed for
trending posts, political updates, health-related news, and content from
people or channels he follows.
2. Discovery: He comes across some posts that catch his attention.
3. Interaction: Amit reacts to posts by liking, commenting, or sharing. He adds
his opinions and perspectives. He shares posts with his network.
4. Evaluation: Amit reflects on the content he has interacted with, especially
when others engage and point out inaccuracies.
5. Outcome: Amit either feels satisfied when his contributions spark meaningful
discussions or frustrated when it derails conversations.
Needs:
1. Easy Access to Reliable Information: Amit needs quick and convenient
access to trustworthy information to stay informed about current events and
trends.
2. Identification of harmful content: He requires features that help him easily
identify and filter out false or harmful content before sharing or engaging with
it.
3. Clear Guidelines for Engagement: Amit needs better understanding and
guidance on how to engage with content responsibly, especially around
sensitive or controversial topics.
Challenges:
1. Difficulty Identifying Misinformation: Amit often struggles to distinguish
between reliable and unreliable sources, occasionally sharing posts that later
turn out to be misinformation.
2. Limited Awareness of Harmful Content: He sometimes unknowingly interacts
with or amplifies content that contains hate speech, deep-fakes, or misleading
information.
3. Viral Spread of Unverified Content: He’s witnessed how quickly content can
go viral, even if it’s not entirely accurate, and worries about public opinion.
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Goals:
1. Engage Responsibly: Amit aims to engage with content thoughtfully and
responsibly, avoiding the spread of harmful misinformation or hate speech.
2. Make Informed Decisions: He wants to verify the content he interacts with to
ensure it's accurate before liking, sharing, or commenting on it.
3. Help Friends and Family Stay Informed: Amit wants to ensure that the
information he shares with his network is trustworthy and adds value to their
knowledge.
5. Pain Points
1. Ambiguity in Community Guidelines
Problem: Users find it difficult to understand what constitutes hate speech,
misinformation, or harmful interactions due to unclear or insufficiently
communicated guidelines.
Impact: This ambiguity may lead to unintentional policy violations, flagged
content, or warnings, frustrating users and affecting their overall experience.
2. Mistakenly Commenting or Posting Something That Includes Harmful
content
Problem: Users might unintentionally post or comment on content with hateful
or polarizing language due to a lack of understanding of the tone or context.
Impact: This can escalate tensions in online communities, strain relationships,
and attract backlash, potentially influencing the spread of negative sentiments
during critical times.
3. Time-Consuming Verification Process
Problem: Verifying the authenticity of content often requires manual effort,
such as cross-checking sources or reading multiple perspectives, which is
time-intensive.
Impact: Users might engage with or share content without proper verification,
potentially spreading misinformation or engaging in uninformed discussions.
4. Difficulty Identifying Misinformation
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Problem: Sensitive events often generate a surge in misleading information,
making it challenging for users to distinguish between reliable and false
content, especially when presented by seemingly credible sources.
Impact: Amplifying misinformation during such events can contribute to public
confusion, disrupt decision-making, and undermine trust in the platform.
5. Negative Social Repercussions
Problem: Sharing incorrect or polarizing content often results in public or
private criticism from others, which can be embarrassing or disheartening.
Impact: This discourages users from participating actively and impacts their
confidence in sharing opinions online.
6. Pain Points Prioritization
To prioritize the pain points, we are using MoSCoW framework.
Pain Point MoSCoW Rationale
Ambiguity in Clear guidelines are essential to preventing
Community MUST unintentional violations and ensuring users
Guidelines understand their responsibilities.
Mistakenly
Commenting or
This directly impacts the platform's ability to manage
Posting
MUST hate speech, risking reputational damage and
Something That
harming user trust. Addressing this is critical.
Includes Harmful
content
Time-
While important, this issue primarily affects the user's
Consuming
SHOULD convenience rather than the platform's integrity.
Verification
Addressing it adds value but isn’t as critical.
Process
Difficulty Misinformation can influence public opinion, disrupt
Identifying MUST decision-making, and erode trust in the platform,
Misinformation making it a priority to mitigate this issue.
This is a secondary effect of misinformation or
Negative Social
COULD harmful engagement. While improving user
Repercussions
confidence is beneficial, it is not immediately critical.
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7. Solutions
Solution 1: Regular Awareness Campaigns (Addresses Pain Point- Ambiguity
in Community Guidelines)
Feature:
1. Push Notification: Send occasional reminders or updates about
responsible online behavior.
2. Seasonal Campaigns: Launch focused campaigns during sensitive
periods like elections or global health crises, including infographics, short
videos, or tips shared via app banners.
Impact:
1. Educates users on platform policies and responsible behavior, especially
during critical times.
2. Increases user confidence in engaging thoughtfully with content, reducing
instances of unintentional violations.
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Solution 2: Gamification for User Education (Addresses Pain Point-
Ambiguity in Community Guidelines)
Features:
1. Interactive Quizzes: Short, engaging quizzes testing users’ ability to
identify hate speech, misinformation, and deepfakes.
2. Achievement Badges: Rewards like a “Content Champion” badge for
completing educational modules or quizzes.
3. Leaderboard: Friendly competition through leaderboards displaying users
who excel in promoting responsible content interactions.
Impact:
1. Encourages users to actively engage with educational content, making the
learning process enjoyable and interactive.
2. Reinforces platform guidelines and fosters a community of informed users,
reducing unintentional violations.
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Solution 3: Text Mining for Content Analysis (Addresses Pain Point-
Mistakenly Commenting or Posting Something That Includes Harmful content)
Feature:
1. Content Screening: Use advanced natural language processing (NLP) to
analyze user-generated content for patterns associated with harmful
content.
2. Real-Time Alert: If harmful content is detected, users will receive an alert
with a message like, "This post or comment may violate community
guidelines. It contains harmful content. Please review before posting."
3. Option to Proceed: Users will have the option to revise their post or
comment. If they choose to continue with the original content, they will be
prompted with a final warning: "Are you sure you want to post this
content? It may cause harm or violate guidelines."
Impact:
1. Significantly reduces the chances of harmful or inappropriate content
being shared, particularly during sensitive events.
2. Gives users the power to review and modify their content before posting,
helping them make responsible choices.
3. Encourages users to think more critically about the content they engage
with and share, thus fostering a healthier online environment.
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Solution 4: User Driven Content Reporting System (Addresses Pain Point-
Difficulty Identifying Misinformation)
Feature:
1. Content Reporting Mechanism: Allow users to report content based on
categories such as spam, misinformation, etc.
2. Threshold-Based Flagging: When a piece of content receives a certain
number of reports, the system automatically flags the content as
potentially harmful or misleading. For example, if content is reshared, it will
be flagged with a message like, "500 users have reported this as potential
spam."
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3. Content Review and Labeling: Once flagged, the content will be reviewed
by the moderation system or a human moderator. If it is determined to be
harmful or misleading, it will be labeled as such, e.g., "This post contains
misinformation" or "This content is flagged for spam.”
Impact:
1. By allowing users to report content, the platform taps into collective
wisdom, identifying misinformation more quickly and effectively.
2. The threshold-based flagging ensures that harmful content is identified
and flagged in real time, preventing its spread across the platform,
especially during sensitive events.
3. This feature empowers users to take an active role in maintaining the
quality of content on the platform, fostering a sense of responsibility and
trust within the community.
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8. Solutions Prioritization
Solution Impact Effort Justification Priority
Awareness
campaigns have a
moderate impact
Regular
on educating
Awareness 7 6 3
users, but require
Campaigns
consistent effort to
develop and
manage.
Highly impactful in
terms of engaging
users but
Gamification
gamification is
for User 8 9 4
resource-intensive
Education
and time-
consuming to
implement.
It’s essential for
early intervention
and offers high
impact by
Text Mining for
detecting harmful
Content 9 8 2
content
Analysis
proactively, but the
implementation
effort is
substantial.
This solution has a
significant impact
User Driven on identifying
Content harmful content
8 5 1
Reporting while being
System relatively low in
effort to
implement.
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9. Success Metrics
1. Solution 1: Regular Awareness Campaigns
Metric Type Metric Target
50% increase in user engagement
North Star Metric User Engagement Rate
with campaign content.
L1 Metric Campaign Reach Reach at least 70% of active users.
80% users showing improvement in
L2 Metric Knowledge Retention
post-campaign knowledge
Less than 10% drop-off rate without
Counter Metric Drop-off rate
engaging with the campaign.
2. Solution 2: Gamification for User Education
Metric Type Metric Target
60% completion rate of gamified
North Star Metric Completion Rate
modules
30% increase in responsible
L1 Metric Behavioral Change
engagement after gamification.
50% of active users earn at least
L2 Metric Badge Collection
one badge
Less than 10% drop-off rate in
Counter Metric Drop-off rate
gamification modules
3. Solution 3: Text Mining for Content Analysis
Metric Type Metric Target
Reduction in Harmful Content 25% decrease in harmful content
North Star Metric
Shared posted during sensitive events
90% accuracy rate for harmful
L1 Metric Real-Time Alert Accuracy
content detection
60% of users revise content after
L2 Metric User Action on Alerts
receiving a warning
Less than 5% false positives in
Counter Metric False Positive Rate
harmful content detection
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4. Solution 4: User Driven Content Reporting System
Metric Type Metric Target
50% increase in content reported by
North Star Metric Volume of Reports Submitted
users
90% of flagged content reviewed
L1 Metric Content Flagging Rate
and actioned
90% of flagged content reviewed
L2 Metric Time to Flag
within 12 hours
Less than 10% dissatisfaction rate in
Counter Metric User Satisfaction Rate
user feedback
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