Both Google and Facebook came under criticism for the amount of fake news that appeared ahead of the US election and now the two companies have teamed up to stop fake news in France.
Google and Facebook are working together to stop fake news ahead of the French elections and they are launching a new platform called CrossCheck.
What is CrossCheck?
Today, we are proud to announce the launch of CrossCheck with Google News Lab. CrossCheck is a collaborative journalism verification project that aims to help the public make sense of what and who to trust in their social media feeds, web searches and general online news consumption in the coming months. Facebook will also support CrossCheck through dedicated tools and media literacy efforts that will help to explain the verification process and keep relevant audiences up to date with confirmed and disputed information relating to the election.
CrossCheck is launching in France on the 27th of February and it will be available to local media companies and members of the public to report content that may be fake. This initiative is particularly significant given the increasing influence of social media on public opinion and the potential impact of misinformation on democratic processes.
How CrossCheck Works
CrossCheck will function as a collaborative platform where journalists from various news organizations can work together to verify information. The platform will allow users to submit content they suspect to be false, which will then be investigated by a team of professional fact-checkers. This collaborative approach aims to pool resources and expertise from multiple newsrooms to ensure a more comprehensive and accurate verification process.
Facebook will contribute to CrossCheck by providing dedicated tools that help identify and flag potentially false information. Additionally, Facebook will engage in media literacy efforts to educate the public on how to discern credible news sources from unreliable ones. This educational component is crucial, as it empowers individuals to critically evaluate the information they encounter online.
Google News Lab will support CrossCheck by offering technological resources and expertise in data analysis. This collaboration aims to leverage Google’s advanced algorithms and data processing capabilities to identify patterns and sources of misinformation more effectively.
The Importance of Combating Fake News
The proliferation of fake news has become a global concern, affecting not only elections but also public health, safety, and social cohesion. Misinformation can spread rapidly through social media, often outpacing the efforts of fact-checkers to debunk false claims. This can lead to widespread confusion, mistrust in legitimate news sources, and even real-world consequences such as violence or public panic.
For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation about the virus and vaccines led to significant public health challenges. False claims about cures, prevention methods, and the safety of vaccines spread widely, undermining efforts to control the virus and protect public health.
In the context of elections, fake news can be particularly damaging. False information about candidates, voting procedures, or election results can undermine the democratic process and erode trust in the electoral system. By launching CrossCheck, Google and Facebook aim to mitigate these risks and ensure that voters have access to accurate and reliable information.
Looking Ahead
The launch of CrossCheck in France is a promising step towards combating fake news, but it is just one part of a broader effort needed to address this complex issue. Ongoing collaboration between technology companies, news organizations, and the public will be essential to develop effective strategies for identifying and countering misinformation.
Moreover, media literacy education must be prioritized to equip individuals with the skills needed to navigate the digital information landscape critically. By fostering a more informed and discerning public, we can collectively reduce the impact of fake news and promote a healthier, more trustworthy information ecosystem.
The project is being led by a not-for-profit organization called First Draft, which specializes in addressing challenges related to trust and truth in the digital age. You can see more details below.
Source TechCrunch
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