TOPIC 3.4 Examples of platforms and tools focused on fake news recognition

SNOPES

Overview: Snopes is one of the oldest and most respected fact-checking websites, established in 1994. It covers a wide range of topics, including urban legends, hoaxes, and political statements. The site is run by a team of researchers and journalists who investigate claims and provide detailed reports on their findings.

How it Works

• Research: Snopes researchers investigate the claim by looking at reliable sources and evidence.
• Analysis: They analyse the gathered information to determine the claim’s veracity.
• Reporting: A detailed report is published, explaining the findings and providing evidence.

Practical Example: Imagine you see a viral post on social media claiming that a new law mandates all citizens to have a microchip implanted. To verify this, you can visit Snopes.com and enter keywords from the claim in the search bar. Snopes provides a detailed report debunking the claim, citing official government sources and expert opinions.

FACTCHECK.ORG

Overview: FactCheck.org is a non-partisan, nonprofit website that monitors the factual accuracy of statements made by U.S. political players. It was launched in 2003 by the Annenberg Public Policy Center.

How it Works

• Monitoring:org tracks statements from politicians, TV ads, debates, speeches, and news releases.
• Verification: The team verifies the statements against official records and reliable sources.
• Publishing: Detailed analyses are published, explaining the context and accuracy of the statements.

Practical Example: During an election campaign, a candidate claims that their opponent voted against a popular healthcare bill. To verify this, you can visit FactCheck.org and search for articles related to the claim. The site will provide a detailed analysis, referencing voting records and other reliable sources.

POLITIFACT

Overview: PolitiFact, a project of the Tampa Bay Times, is known for its “Truth-O-Meter,” which rates the accuracy of statements made by politicians and other public figures. Launched in 2007, it provides a clear and concise way to understand the truthfulness of various claims.

How it Works

• Statement Collection: PolitiFact collects statements from politicians and public figures.
• Research: The team researches each statement using reliable sources.
• Rating: The statement is rated on the Truth-O-Meter, which ranges from “True” to “Pants on Fire” for the most egregious falsehoods.
• Publishing: Reports are published with detailed explanations and ratings.

Practical Example: A politician claims that a new policy has reduced unemployment to record lows. To check this, visit PolitiFact.com and search for the claim. PolitiFact will provide a rating on the Truth-O-Meter and a detailed explanation, citing employment data and expert analysis.

FACEBOOK’S FACT-CHECKING PROGRAM

Overview: Facebook has implemented a fact-checking program in partnership with third-party fact-checkers to combat misinformation on its platform.

How it Works

• Identification: Potentially false stories are identified by algorithms and user reports.
• Review: Third-party fact-checkers review and rate the accuracy of the stories.
• Action: Stories rated as false are demoted in the news feed, reducing their visibility. Users who share or interact with these stories receive notifications about their inaccuracy.

Practical Example: If a false news story about a health crisis starts circulating on Facebook, it might be flagged by users. Facebook’s fact-checkers will review the story, and if found false, it will be demoted. Users who shared the story will receive a notification with a link to a fact-checking article explaining the inaccuracies.

NEWSGUARD

Overview: NewsGuard is a browser extension that rates the credibility of news and information websites. It was launched in 2018 and provides “nutrition labels” for websites, assessing their trustworthiness based on journalistic standards.

How it Works

• Assessment: NewsGuard’s team of journalists evaluates news websites based on nine journalistic criteria, such as transparency, credibility, and accountability.
• Ratings: Websites are rated and given a score. Green indicates a generally trustworthy site, while red indicates a site that frequently publishes false information.
• Integration: The ratings appear as an icon next to links in search results and on social media feeds.

Practical Example: While browsing the internet, you come across a news article from an unfamiliar website. With NewsGuard installed, you see a red icon next to the site’s URL. Hovering over the icon, you find that the site has a low score due to frequent publication of false information and lack of transparency. You decide to look for more reliable sources.

FACTUAL

Overview: Factual is a mobile app that uses AI to verify the credibility of news articles. It aggregates news from various sources and provides credibility scores for each article.

How it Works

• Aggregation: Factual aggregates news articles from various sources.
• Analysis: The app uses AI to analyze the content and source credibility.
• Scoring: Articles are given a credibility score based on the analysis.

Practical Example: When reading news on your phone, you can use the Factual app to check the credibility of an article. If an article has a low credibility score, the app provides reasons and suggests more reliable sources for the same news story.

CLAIMBUSTER

Overview: ClaimBuster is an AI tool developed by the University of Texas at Arlington that automatically detects and checks factual claims in real-time.

How it Works

• Detection: ClaimBuster uses natural language processing (NLP) to detect factual claims in text.
• Verification: It cross-references detected claims with a database of verified information.
• Scoring: Claims are scored based on their truthfulness.

Practical Example: While watching a political debate, you can use ClaimBuster’s live feature to input statements made by the candidates. The tool will analyse the statements and provide real-time scores and verification based on its database, helping you discern the truthfulness of the claims.

HOAXY

Overview: Hoaxy, developed by Indiana University, visualizes the spread of claims and fact-checking on social media. It tracks both the dissemination of misinformation and the corresponding fact-checking efforts.

How it Works

• Tracking: Hoaxy tracks the spread of claims and fact-checks on social media platforms like Twitter.
• Visualization: It provides visualizations showing how claims and fact-checks spread over time and who is sharing them.
• Analysis: Users can analyse the reach and impact of both the claims and the fact-checking efforts.

Practical Example: If a false claim about a celebrity goes viral, you can use Hoaxy to see how the claim spread on X Twitter. The visualization shows the key accounts that propagated the claim and the fact-checking responses that followed. This helps you understand the dynamics of misinformation spread and the effectiveness of fact-checking.

In the battle against fake news, a variety of platforms and tools have emerged, each employing unique methods to verify information and debunk falsehoods. From traditional fact-checking websites like Snopes and FactCheck.org to advanced AI tools like ClaimBuster and Hoaxy, these resources provide invaluable assistance in navigating the complex landscape of modern information. By understanding how these tools work and using them effectively, individuals can better protect themselves from misinformation and contribute to a more informed society.