As online misinformation increases, Google is deploying several fact-checking tools to help us spot fake news. And Meta removes CrowdTangle, its software for analyzing misinformation on its social networks.
Search engines and social networks are used by Internet users to find out in a few seconds information from around the world, whether to find out the next day’s weather or try to understand the political unrest shaking the country. However, given the quantity of sources available, we can quickly find ourselves lost and have difficulty determining reliable and relevant data. And certain actors play on this in order to spread fake news and influence public opinion, particularly during elections.
Faced with the scourge of disinformation, platforms are adopting radically different attitudes. Some are working to implement tools to detect misleading information or images. This is the path taken by Google, which announced in a blog post published on April 2 the deployment of a series of functions for its search engine allowing “quickly decode information” appearing in the results and “understand the context of the information that we can see online”. On the other hand, others don’t care. This is the case of Meta, which is doing an Elon Musk thing for us by deciding to remove CrowdTangle, its software considered essential for spotting and analyzing disinformation on Facebook and Instagram, which will no longer be accessible from August 14. A decision strongly criticized and incomprehensible, as the American elections are fast approaching.
Google Search: new fact-checking tools for French Internet users
Last year, Google deployed several fact-checking tools intended to allow Internet users to judge, in a few seconds, the credibility of a site, information, or image appearing in its search results. However, they were only deployed for English-speaking countries. They are now accessible in more than forty languages, including French. The first tool takes the form of a module called “About this result”, which opens by clicking on the three small dots to the right of the search result. It is responsible for providing the Internet user with information on the identity of the site – the information generally comes from Wikipedia and user opinions – as well as its indexing date on Google. Launched in 2021 in English and now present on the French search engine, it aims to allow the user to more easily identify trusted sources and understand the origin of information.
The Internet giant is taking the opportunity to extend the “About this image” function, which was also deployed last year in English, to other languages, including French. Its principle is similar to that of “About this result”: by pressing the three dots associated with a photo or illustration in Google Images, or on “More information on this page” in the “About” tool of this result” of the search results, users will have access to its history, which will help determine whether this or a similar image has been previously published by other sites, how other sources use and describe the image , as well as its metadata.
The Fact Check Explorer tool is finally leaving its beta phase! Mainly aimed at journalists, fact-checking specialists and content creators, it allows you to consult “fact-checking articles produced by independent organizations from around the world” through a dedicated search engine, but also download or copy the link of an image to see if it has been used in an existing fact check. Google specifies that it is moving more forward with fact-checking articles “published by independent, reliable and authoritative sources on the web” within a dedicated insert. “If a fact-checking article seems relevant to your query, a preview of it may appear in your search results”, adds Google. “The results will include excerpts so you can quickly understand the context of a statement.”.
CrowdTangle Meta: the software against online disinformation bows out
For its part, Meta announced in a blog post that he was going to put CrowdTangle, a software considered essential for spotting and analyzing disinformation on Facebook and Instagram, out of service on August 14. As a reminder, it was bought by Mark Zuckerberg’s company in 2016 and allows researchers and journalists to follow the way in which content spreads on social networks, which allows ultimately to fight against disinformation. An incomprehensible decision, when no less than seventy-six elections will take place around the world this year. During previous elections, the software made it possible to monitor in real time the spread of conspiracy theories, incitements to violence or manipulation campaigns led from abroad. For example, during the 2019 Louisiana elections, the software made it possible to detect incorrect opening times of polling stations that were circulating on the networks. Additionally, CrowdTangle offers dashboards to track what major candidates post on their official and campaign pages.
“In a year when nearly half of the world’s population is expected to vote, removing access to CrowdTangle will significantly limit independent harm monitoring.” caused by disinformation, deplores Melanie Smith, research director of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, to the Figaro. “This is a serious step backwards for transparency on social media.” Strangely, Meta’s decision comes after numerous journalists used CrowdTangle to report unflattering information about the company, including its difficulties in moderating content on its platforms and the abundance of pirated games present on its video game application…
To replace CrowdTangle, Meta announced the creation of a new content library which will contain, according to the group’s spokesperson, Andy Stone, “more complete data than CrowdTangle” and which will be made available to academics and nonprofit election organizations – but not to for-profit media… Many experts are taking issue with the replacement, starting with former CrowdTangle CEO Brandon Silverman, who notes that the new program is still under development: “This is a whole new technology that Meta still needs to build to protect the integrity of elections”. For its part, the Mozilla Foundation requested in an open letter to Meta that the service be maintained at least until January 2025. “Abandoning CrowdTangle while the content library lacks many of CrowdTangle’s core functions undermines the fundamental principle of transparency” and constitutes a “direct threat” for the integrity of elections. Wasted effort…