Crowdsourced fact-checking fights misinformation in Taiwan … – Cornell Chronicle
As journalists and professional fact-checkers struggle to keep up with the deluge of misinformation online, fact-checking sites that rely on loosely coordinated contributions from volunteers, such as Wikipedia, can help fill the gaps, Cornell research finds.
In a new study, Andy Zhao, a doctoral candidate in information science based at Cornell Tech, compared professional fact-checking articles to posts on Cofacts, a community-sourced fact-checking platform in Taiwan. He found that the crowdsourced site often responded to queries more rapidly than professionals and handled a different range of issues across platforms.
Fact-checking is a core component of being able to use our information ecosystem in a way that supports trustworthy information, said senior author Mor Naaman, professor of information science at the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech and the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science. Places of knowledge production, like Wikipedia and Cofacts, have proved so far to be the most robust to misinformation campaigns.
The study, Insights from a Comparative Study on the Variety, Velocity, Veracity, and Viability of Crowdsourced and Professional Fact-Checking Services, published Sept. 21 in the Journal of Online Trust and Safety.
The researchers focused on Cofacts because it is a crowdsourced fact-checking model that had not been well-studied. The Taiwanese government, civil organizations and the tech community established Cofacts in 2017 to address the challenges of both malicious and innocent misinformation partially in response to efforts from the Chinese government to use disinformation to create a more pro-China public opinion in Taiwan. Much like Wikipedia, anyone on Cofacts can be an editor and post answers, submit questions and up or downvote responses. Cofacts also has a bot that fact-checks claims in a popular messaging app.
Starting with more than 60,000 crowdsourced fact-checks and 2,641 professional fact-checks, Zhao used natural language processing to match up responses posted on Cofacts with articles addressing the same questions on two professional fact-checking sites. He looked at how quickly the sites posted responses to queries, the accuracy and persuasiveness of the responses and the range of topics covered.
He found the Cofacts users often responded faster than journalists, but mostly because they could stand on the shoulders of giants and repurpose existing articles from professionals. In this way, Cofacts acts as a distributor for information. They carry those stories across language, across the nation, or across time, to this exact moment to answer people's questions, Zhao said.
Importantly, Zhao found that the Cofacts posts were just as accurate as the professional sources. And according to seven native Taiwanese graduate students who acted as raters, articles by journalists were more persuasive, but Cofacts posts often were clearer.
Further analysis showed the crowdsourced site covered a slightly different range of topics compared with those addressed by professionals. Posts on Cofacts were more likely to address recent and local issues such as regional politics and small-time scams while journalists were more likely to write about topics requiring expertise, including health claims and international affairs.
We can leverage the power of the crowds to counter misinformation, Zhao concluded. Misinformation comes from everywhere, and we need this battle to happen in all corners.
The need for fact-checking is likely to continue to grow. While its not yet clear how generative artificial intelligence (AI) models, such as ChatGPT or Midjourney, will impact the information landscape, Naaman and Zhao said it is possible that AI programs that generate text and fake images may make it even easier to create and spread misinformation online.
However, despite the success of Cofacts in Taiwan, Zhao and Naaman caution that the same approach may not transfer to other countries. Cofacts has built on the user habits, the cultures, the background, and political and social structures of Taiwan, which is how they succeed, Zhao said.
But understanding Cofacts success may assist in the design of other fact-checking systems, especially in regions that dont speak English, which have access to few, if any fact-checking resources.
Understanding how well that kind of model works in different settings could hopefully provide some inspiration and guidelines to people who want to execute similar endeavors in other places, Naaman said.
The study received partial support from the National Science Foundation.
Patricia Waldron is a writer for the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science.
More:
Crowdsourced fact-checking fights misinformation in Taiwan ... - Cornell Chronicle
- What were the most popular Wikipedia pages of 2024? - Roanoke Times - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- What we learned from Open AI whistleblower Suchir Balaji's Wikipedia Page - The Times of India - December 18th, 2024 [December 18th, 2024]
- From an old version of the Wikipedia page for Warren G and N... - kottke.org - December 18th, 2024 [December 18th, 2024]
- What were the most popular Wikipedia pages of 2024? - WCF Courier - December 18th, 2024 [December 18th, 2024]
- Encyclopedia of the Future: Why is Wikipedia Best Research Option? - Analytics Insight - December 18th, 2024 [December 18th, 2024]
- Wikipedia's Most-Viewed Articles of 2024: Politics, Football, and...Death? - PCMag Middle East - December 18th, 2024 [December 18th, 2024]
- Taxiride Fallout Continues Over Alleged Amendments To Band Wikipedia Page - The Music - December 18th, 2024 [December 18th, 2024]
- Delhi High Court to examine Caravan, Ken articles to decide interim relief in ANI vs Wikipedia - Bar & Bench - Indian Legal News - December 18th, 2024 [December 18th, 2024]
- Boriswave Wikipedia page set up in reference to immigration surge under ex-PM - The London Economic - December 18th, 2024 [December 18th, 2024]
- Wikipedia suspends pro-Palestine editors coordinating efforts behind the scenes - The Jerusalem Post - December 14th, 2024 [December 14th, 2024]
- Wikipedia's 7-year yogurt spelling war was longer than three Shakespeare plays - Boing Boing - December 14th, 2024 [December 14th, 2024]
- Wikipedia boyfriends on celebrating their mundane, anti-online corner of the internet - British GQ - December 14th, 2024 [December 14th, 2024]
- What were the most popular Wikipedia pages of 2024? - York News-Times - December 14th, 2024 [December 14th, 2024]
- Wikipedia's Most-Viewed Articles of 2024: Politics, Football, and...Death? - PCMag UK - December 14th, 2024 [December 14th, 2024]
- What were the most popular Wikipedia pages of 2024? - Martinsville Bulletin - December 14th, 2024 [December 14th, 2024]
- Death most popular thing on Wikipedia, again - Boing Boing - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Heres the top 25 list of most-viewed Wikipedia articles of 2024 - KXAN.com - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Here Are the Top 25 Wikipedia Searches for 2024 And #1 is BLEAK - Mediaite - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Morrissey hits out at Wikipedia for failing to set the record straight - The Independent - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Jimmy Wales on Why Wikipedia Is Still So Good - New York Magazine - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Here Are The 5 Most Read Wikipedia Pages In 2024 - The Spun - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Wikipedia reveals its most searched posts - 97.1 The Ticket - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Wikipedia just revealed what weve all been obsessing over in 2024 - Sherwood News - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- The Terrible Towel Wikipedia page is a must-read yinzer masterpiece - PGH City Paper - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- The Most Popular Wikipedia Pages Of The Year - iHeart - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Neither Donald Trump nor Taylor Swift: This was the most-viewed Wikipedia page in the U.S. in 2024 - AS USA - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- What were the most popular Wikipedia pages of 2024? - Winona Daily News - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Morrissey Mad At Wikipedia, Claims He Was Never In The Nosebleeds Nor Slaughter And The Dogs - Stereogum - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Heres the top 25 list of most-viewed Wikipedia articles of 2024 - MSN - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- The Nosebleeds and Slaughter And The Dogs Band members list explored as Morrissey slams Wikipedia listing - Soap Central - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Diddy, Dune, and Donald Trump: The most popular Wikipedia pages of 2024 - STV News - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- India's bollywood, elections, and IPL among top 10 most viewed articles on Wikipedia - The Tatva - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Morrissey says he has no connection with The Nosebleeds and Slaughter And The Dogs, despite claims on Wikipedia - NME - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Wikipedia Called To Order By Samson Mow: The Urgency To Invest In Bitcoin - Cointribune EN - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Wikipedia and the ANI defamation suit | Explained - The Hindu - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- A Wikipedia for cells: researchers get an updated look at the Human Cell Atlas, and its remarkable - Nature.com - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Opinion: Wikipedia has it out for Israel, and weve got the data to prove it - National Post - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Who edits history? Politics and business in the pages of Wikipedia - EU Reporter - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- What your Wikipedia reading says about you: Study find different styles - The New Daily - November 14th, 2024 [November 14th, 2024]
- Going down a Wikipedia rabbit hole? Science says youre one of these three types - The Conversation - October 26th, 2024 [October 26th, 2024]
- Studying Wikipedia browsing habits to learn how people learn - Penn Today - October 26th, 2024 [October 26th, 2024]
- Portland mayor candidate Rene Gonzalez violated rules by using public funds on Wikipedia page, auditor finds - Oregon Public Broadcasting - October 26th, 2024 [October 26th, 2024]
- Top 5 Editing Conflicts in Wikipedia Pages on Religion - Baptist News Global - October 26th, 2024 [October 26th, 2024]
- Wikipedia editors form urgent task force to combat rampant issues with recent wave of content: 'The entire thing was ... [a] hoax' - Yahoo! Voices - October 26th, 2024 [October 26th, 2024]
- Audit: Rene Gonzalez violated campaign finance law by using city funds to edit Wikipedia page - Fox 12 Oregon - October 26th, 2024 [October 26th, 2024]
- Auditor: Gonzalez violated the law by paying to update his Wikipedia entry - Portland Tribune - October 26th, 2024 [October 26th, 2024]
- Musk Says Wikipedia Controlled By Far-Left Activists, Urges People To Stop Donating To Them! - News24 - October 26th, 2024 [October 26th, 2024]
- Silent Hill 2 Remake Wikipedia page locked after salty fans try to rewrite its critically-acclaimed reception - Eurogamer - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- The Silent Hill 2 Remakes Wikipedia page briefly got transformed into a phantasmagorical reflection of the psyches of idiots unable to accept reality... - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Outrage as Wikipedia changes grooming gangs article to moral panic from the 'Far-Right' - GB News - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Silent Hill 2 Falls Victim to Faux Review Bombing on Wikipedia - DualShockers - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- No, you're not losing it, Silent Hill 2 Remake's Wikipedia page's review scores have been altered, and the site has had to lock it to stop people... - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Exploring (and building) the depths of Wikipedia - The Michigan Daily - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Wikipedia and Catholicism: Navigating Misinformation and Religious Bias - World Religion News - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Weird things are happening on the Silent Hill 2 remake Wikipedia page, as folks sabotage review scores for reasons - Sports Illustrated - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Silent Hill 2 Remake Wikipedia Page Locked After Fans Tried to Change Reviews - Rely on Horror - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Trolls Edit Silent Hill 2 Remake Wikipedia Page To Lower Its Review Scores - PlayStation Universe - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- The Kremlin is rewriting Wikipedia - Hindustan Times - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Wikipedia Locks Silent Hill 2 Remake Page After It's Spammed With Fake Negative Reviews - TheGamer - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Silent Hill 2 remake Wikipedia locked after getting trolled - NME - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Wikimedia Technology Summit 2024 brings together tech enthusiasts and developers to bring inclusivity to Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects - Business... - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- AI's threat to Wikipedia - ABC News - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Silent Hill 2 remake page on Wikipedia blocked after fans try to rewrite critics' positive reviews - ITC - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Matt Walsh Recalls Critics Trying to Get Him Arrested Using Wikipedia - The Daily Wire - October 4th, 2024 [October 4th, 2024]
- Wikipedia and Religion: Uncovering the Dynamics of Reliable Sources and Digital Bias - Baptist News Global - October 4th, 2024 [October 4th, 2024]
- Wikipedia: Accuracy or Prejudice? Islamophobia in the Web 2.0 Era - World Religion News - October 4th, 2024 [October 4th, 2024]
- Ultrarunner Camille Herron is dumped by Lululemon after her husband edited her rivals' Wikipedia pages to boos - Daily Mail - October 3rd, 2024 [October 3rd, 2024]
- Ultrarunner Camille Herrons Primary Sponsor Drops Her After Wikipedia Scandal - Runner's World - October 3rd, 2024 [October 3rd, 2024]
- Ultrarunner Camille Herron dropped by Lululemon following Wikipedia editing controversy - Runner's World UK - October 3rd, 2024 [October 3rd, 2024]
- Wikipedia relies on army of volunteers as it stares down AI - Devex - October 3rd, 2024 [October 3rd, 2024]
- This Ultramarathon Runner Was Dropped By A Major Sponsor Amid A Wikipedia Editing Scandal - Women's Health - October 3rd, 2024 [October 3rd, 2024]
- Wikipedia scandal: Heres why ultrarunner Camille Herron was dropped by Lululemon - Women's Agenda - October 3rd, 2024 [October 3rd, 2024]
- Guess The Wikipedia Footballer #4: Can you name these 10 footballers that played under Carlo Ancelotti? - Planet Football - October 3rd, 2024 [October 3rd, 2024]
- ANI vs Wikipedia: The free encyclopedias impact on India and more - The Hindu - September 16th, 2024 [September 16th, 2024]
- Wikipedia and AI: Could artificial intelligence kill the online encyclopedia? - Newstalk - September 16th, 2024 [September 16th, 2024]
- Reliable Sources: How Wikipedia Admin David Gerard Launders His Grudges Into the Public Record - World Religion News - August 31st, 2024 [August 31st, 2024]
- Wikipedia and the Digital Services Act: Lessons on the strength of community and the future of internet regulation - Le Taurillon - August 31st, 2024 [August 31st, 2024]
- Depths Of Wikipedia: This Page Is Dedicated To The Weird Side Of Wikipedia (97 New Pics) - AOL - August 31st, 2024 [August 31st, 2024]
- Wikipedia's Longest-Running Hoax Remained Online for Almost 10 Years: The Story of Jar'Edo Wens - The Journal - August 31st, 2024 [August 31st, 2024]
- 40 Times People Found Such Hilarious Gems On Wikipedia, They Just Had To Share (New Pics) - Bored Panda - August 31st, 2024 [August 31st, 2024]