Google introduces fact checking feature just in time of US presidential Elections.
Internet search giant Google has introduced a new fact-checking feature in its new section to allow readers to determine whether or not a story is true.
“In the seven years since we started labeling types of articles in Google News (e.g., In-Depth, Opinion, Wikipedia), we’ve heard that many readers enjoy having easy access to a diverse range of content types,” the company said in an announcement.
“Today, we’re adding another new tag, “Fact check,” to help readers find fact checking in large news stories.”
Through an algorithmic process from schema.org known as ClaimReview, live stories will be linked to fact checking articles and websites. This will allow readers to quickly validate or debunk stories they read online.
Related fact-checking stories will appear onscreen underneath the main headline. The example Google uses shows a headline over passport checks for pregnant women, with a link to Full Fact’s analysis of the issue.
Readers will be able to see if stories are fake or if claims in the headline are false or being exaggerated.
Fact check will initially be available in the UK and US through the Google News site as well as the News & Weather apps for both Android and iOS. Publishers who wish to become part of the new service can apply to have their sites included.
“We’re excited to see the growth of the Fact Check community and to shine a light on its efforts to divine fact from fiction, wisdom from spin,” the company said.
Fact checking has become increasingly common for online publishers. Organizations such as the International Fact-Checking Network, PolitFact and FullFact analyse claims by politicians and other public speakers to determine if they are true or not.
Facebook has struggled to prevent fake headlines appearing in its own trending news feature. After the company swapped human curators for an algorithm, a fake story about Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly being fired over allegiances to Hilary Clinton caused controversy.
While Google doesn’t name Donald Trump or Brexit explicitly, authors such as Ralph Keyes claim we now live in a “post-truth” era, where debates rarely focus on facts or policy but instead on emotion and wild claims.
Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump has often been found to make false or misleading statements. Politifact has rated 71% of his statements as false. This week he wrongly advised his supports to go out and vote on 28 November, 20 days after the US elections actually being held on 8 November.
“Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump has often been found to make false or misleading statements. Politifact has rated 71% of his statements as false. This week he wrongly advised his supports to go out and vote on 28 November, 20 days after the US elections actually being held on 8 November.”
I see where this is going. No mention of Hillary lies. Constant lies. Almost one hundred percent lies and spin.
Trump made a mistake between the date of the vote and the number of days left. I believe he said it on Sunday which would have been 28 days until the vote. Just because a statement is not accurate or completely correct does not make it a lie. A fact checker can not tell the difference between intent. Someone making a statement that although well intended has it’s numbers wrong or mislabeled.
Trump should have said go to vote in 28 days this November , etc.
What of the Hillary campaign claiming that Trump was talking about abusing women in his off color comments? That’s a lie. He said, “and if you’re a star, they let you”. That’s not abuse.
She claims he is against all Muslims coming to America. He was actually endorsing a moratorium on Muslim immigration from conflict areas until we can put in place a system of vetting them for ideology so they won’t come here and start bombing and murder campaigns in the name of Islam.
Hillary claims he is racist because he said all Mexicans are rapists, murderers and drug dealers. Lie again. Another deliberate lie. He spoke out against illegal immigration because that is is where ALL of the criminal illegal immigration is coming from. There actually is a high percentage of illegal immigrants who cross the border and go on to commit serious crimes against American citizens. We really should secure our borders and put in place laws to criminalize hiring illegal immigrants. We really should be deporting those who break our laws.
“Google introduces fact checking feature intended to help readers steer towards news which Google considers true”.
I have no horse in US elections, but everybody should fact-check things themselves, using as many sources as possible. Don’t trust Google, don’t trust your (least) favourite newspaper, don’t trust “worldnewsreport.net”. Respect your mind.
It is “in time *for* elections”. How can a source appear precise, trustworthy or professional if it cannot communicate correctly?
“Who watches the watchmen?”
How do we prevent bias from leaking into a system that people will assume is “unbiased truth?” How are you supposed to know if the system was applied to all statements, rather than select ones?
If you want to see an example of of partially applied, narrative driven “truth (so far)” check out politifact’s truth-o-meter that ranks statements from “pants of fire” to “true;” it unequally targets one side over the other. The side they favor is very clear by the statements they choose to highlight from each side. It’s disgusting that they think people are so dumb to believe their bias coverage is objective in any way.
I don’t like the trend by tech companies to do the thinking for me. I go to search engines to find out information for myself!
This article tries to cite Politifact as some sort of reliable independent non biased source when in fact it is run by a Tampa bay paper which has publicly endorsed Hillary Clinton as well as donated to her. RIGGED!
Just because you hear something you want to believe doesn’t mean you should believe it. Applies to liberals and conservatives.