[gervase]

I think this is spot on, but it misses the core reasoning: this approach permits them to look like they're doing something, without actually changing the status quo. In other words, this lets them have their cake and eat it too, because users (and news orgs) can't blame Facebook for the rankings - they're "from the users"!

At least, that's how this news reads from my admittedly-cynical perspective.