Facebook's new tool signals the beginning of its war on fake news

Facebook has begun the launch of a new tool designed to warn users they are potentially sharing fake news.

The tool works as a pop-up window when the user attempts to share a link to a story which has been checked and declared false by a number of fact-checking services.

The move comes after the social media platform was widely criticised for doing little to stop the sharing of false news stories, especially after the US election in November last year.Early screenshots of the tool show a message reading: Disputed by multiple independent fact-checkers. Before you share this content, you might want to know that the fact-checking sites, Snopes.com and Associated Press disputed its accuracy.

Once the pop-up window appears, users can click on it for more information about fake news and links to the fact-checking websites referenced.

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It also links to a set of guiding principles for fact checkers, which it says all of its fact checkers are signed up to.

The roll-out has not reached all users yet, but what effect the new tool will have only time will tell.