Facebook is taking its fight against fake news international.
The company announced it will roll out its tools to flag fake news in Germany. This is the first country outside the U.S. that will be able to use them.
Facebook introduced the tools in the U.S. a few weeks ago. They make it easier for users to report fake posts and use third-party fact-checkers to verify claims.
Widespread criticism after the 2016 U.S. presidential election led to the creation of these features. Many believed the site didn't do enough to stop the spread of false and misleading stories.
The updates in Germany come at a good time — a Buzzfeed analysis found hyperpartisan sites have targeted German Chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of the country's election this fall.
A story that falsely claimed Merkel took a selfie with one of the Brussels terrorists was reportedly shared 32,000 times on Facebook. The man was actually a refugee.
Some of the sites publishing the false stories about Merkel have also been linked to the "Pizzagate" conspiracy and claims the CIA was behind 9/11.
The tools are still in the testing phase. Facebook said it will keep working on solutions for the problem.
