CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY IN COMBATING ONLINE MISINFORMATION [March 2016]

Abstract

In the age of mass information and misinformation, the corporate duty of developers of browsers, social media, and search engines are falling short of the minimum standards of responsibility. The tools and technologies are already available to combat misinformation online but the desire to integrate these tools has not taken enough priority to warrant action. This paper presents an effective and practical method based on technologies already available that could be used for browsers and social media websites that would help combat misinformation presented in the form of photo evidence, video evidence, or textual evidence the authors have termed as the “Right-click Authenticate” every browser and social media website should have.
Keywords—Misinformation; Social Media; Browsers; Search Engines; Corporate; Ethical; Responsibility.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/296486047_Corporate_Responsibility_in_Combating_Online_Misinformation

COMBATING MISINFORMATION ONLINE: IDENTIFACATION OF VARIABLES AND PROOF-OF-CONCEPT STUDY [August 2016]

Abstract

The spread of misinformation online is specifically amplified by use of social media, yet the tools for allowing online users to authenticate text and images are available though not easily accessible. The authors challenge this view suggesting that corporations’ responsible for the development of browsers and social media websites need to incorporate such tools to combat the spread of misinformation. As a step stone towards developing a formula for simulating spread of misinformation, the authors ran theoretical simulations which demonstrate the unchallenged spread of misinformation which users are left to authenticate on their own, as opposed to providing the users means to authenticate such material. The team simulates five scenarios that gradually get complicated as variables are identified and added to the model. The results demonstrate a simulation of the process as proof-of-concept as well as identification of the key variables that influence the spread and combat of misinformation online.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306363929_Combating_Misinformation_Online_Identification_of_Variables_and_Proof-of-Concept_Study

HOW TO STOP SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA: FACEBOOK PLANS VS RIGHT-CLICK AUTHENTICATE APPROACH [May 2017]

Abstract

One of the key features of social networks is that users are able to share information, and through cascades of sharing information, this information may reach a large number of individuals. The high availability of user-provided contents on online social media facilitates people aggregation around shared beliefs, interests, worldviews and narratives. With lack of means to verify information, social media has been accused of becoming a hot bed for sharing of misinformation. Facebook, as one of the largest social networking services, has been facing widespread criticism on how its newsfeed algorithm is designed thus amplifying dissemination of misinformation. In late 2016, Facebook revealed plans to address fake news on Facebook newsfeeds. In this work, we study the methods Facebook has proposed to combat the spread of misinformation and compare it with our previously proposed approach called 'Right-click Authenticate'. By analyzing the Business Process Modeling and Notation of both approaches, this paper suggests some key weaknesses and improvements social media companies need to consider when tackling the spread of misinformation online.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322931666_How_to_Stop_Spread_of_Misinformation_on_Social_Media_Facebook_Plans_vs_Right-click_Authenticate_Approach

SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION ONLINE: SIMULATION IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA NEWSGROUPS [JULY 2017]

Abstract

Academic research shows increase reliance ofonline users on social media as a main source of news and information. Researchers found that young users are particularly inclined to believe what they read on social media without adequate verification of the information. There has been some research to study the spread of misinformation and identification of key variables in developing simulations of the process. Current literatureon combating misinformationfocuses on individuals andneglects social newsgroups-key players in the disseminationof information online. Using benchmark variables and values from the literature, the authors simulated the process using Biolayout; a big data-modeling tool. The results show social newsgroups have significant impact in the explosion of misinformation as well as combating misinformation. The outcome has helped better understand and visualize how misinformation travels in the spatial space of social media.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322436730_Spread_of_misinformation_online_Simulation_impact_of_social_media_newsgroups

RIGHT-CLICK AUTHENTICATE ADOPTION: THE IMPACT OF AUTHENTICATING SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ON INFORMATION QUALITY. [JULY 2017]

Abstract

Getting the daily news from social media has nowadays become a common practice among people. Unreliable sources of information expose people to a dose of hoaxes, rumours, conspiracy theories and misleading news. Mixing both reliable and unreliable information on social media has made the truth to be hardly determined. Academic research indicates an increasing reliance of online users on social media as a main source of news. Researchers found that young users, in particular, are to believe what they read on social media without adequate verification. In previous work, we proposed the concept of `Right-click Authenticate' where we suggested designing an accessible tool to authenticate and verify information online before sharing it. In this paper, we present a review of the problem of sharing misinformation online and extend our work by analysing how `Right-click Authenticate' reduces the challenges of while improving key metrics within the Information Quality fields.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319569573_Right-click_Authenticate_adoption_The_impact_of_authenticating_social_media_postings_on_information_quality

THE IMPACT OF FACEBOOK'S NEWS FACT-CHECKING ON INFORMATION QUALITY (IQ) SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA. [OCTOBER 2017]

Abstract

Fake news and the sharing of misinformation on social media have come to the attention after research showed that the majority of young users in the U.S. rely on social media for news. Facebook, as a leading social media network, has come under fire for not combating the spread of misinformation online. In response, Facebook released, as a beta test, an approach that would allow users to report fake news that will then be vetted by a third-party fact-checker. Facebook designed an approach it believes is a comprehensible tool to validate and verify news posts before sharing it. Information Quality is an approach that has helped researchers evaluate the quality of information output including social media. This paper presents the problem of sharing misinformation online and evaluates the impact of Facebook's Fact-checking approach on the quality metrics within the Information Quality field.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320310678_The_Impact_of_Facebook's_News_Fact-Checking_on_Information_Quality_IQ_Shared_on_Social_Media

MEANS OF COMBATING THE SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA: 3D SIMULATION [October 2018]

Abstract

Social media is becoming the de-facto platform for the dissemination of information as research suggests more and more Internet users are using social media as their main source of news. In this model, the spread of unverified information is becoming a common place where some could share misinformation as fact. News sharing on social media lacks the traditional verification methods used by professional media. In previous publications, the authors presented a model that shows the extent of the problem thus suggesting the design of a tool that could assist users to authenticate information using a conceptual approached called ‘right-click authenticate’ button. A two-dimensional simulation provided bases for a proof-of-concept and identification of key variables. In this paper, the authors used Biolayout three-dimensional modelling to expand their simulations of different scenarios. Using the same given variables and values, the authors are able to get a better understanding on how misinformation travel in the spatial space of social media. The findings further confirmed that the approach of ‘right-click authenticate’ button will dramatically cutback the spread of misinformation online.