Google launches program to combat fake news

Google launches program to combat fake news

Of course, it could end up with biases that turn it into yet-another propaganda operation, by flagging legitimate stories that have “wrong public opinion orientation”.

On our own platforms, we’re focused on combating misinformation during breaking news situations.  Bad actors often target breaking news on Google platforms, increasing the likelihood that people are exposed to inaccurate content. So we’ve trained our systems to recognize these events and adjust our signals toward more authoritative content. There are comparable challenges on YouTube, and we’re taking a similar approach, highlighting relevant content from verified news sources in a “Top News” shelf.
But we’re also working directly with news organizations to combat misinformation. We’re launching the Disinfo Lab alongside the First Draft to combat mis- and disinformation during elections and breaking news moments. Finally, to help consumers distinguish fact from fiction online,  we’re teaming up with the Poynter Institute, Stanford University, and the Local Media Association to launch MediaWise, a U.S. project designed to improve digital information literacy for young consumers.

Source: The Google News Initiative: Building a stronger future for news
This initiative will be used, and certainly gamed by many parties, to censor information not coming from approved sources. In other words, this could devolve into quite a propaganda coup.

Comments are closed.