Google To Launch Campaign To Target ‘Disinformation’ Ahead of Munich Security Conference: REPORT
Mary Lou Masters on February 13, 2023
Google will formally announce their new social media campaign to combat disinformation Monday by teaching users how to be aware of “false claims,” according to the Associated Press.
The campaign will use the concept “prebunking,” which means to preemptively spot misinformation before consuming it, in a series of short highlight videos on YouTube, TikTok and Facebook, and other tech giants, the AP reported. The “conspiracy theories” that these advertisements will target relate to vaccines, propaganda, and incitements of violence.
“Using ads as a vehicle to counter a disinformation technique is pretty novel. And we’re excited about the results,” Beth Goldberg, head of research and development at Jigsaw, a Google company, told the AP.
This comes as another “solution” big tech sought to prevent disinformation on social media platforms, along with “content moderation,” which many claim involves “censorship and bias,” according to the AP.
“Prebunking” will also focus on misinformation regarding climate change, gun control, and immigration, while attempting to prevent users from spreading false information to others, the AP reported.
It’s a “pretty efficient way to address misinformation at scale, because you can reach a lot of people while at the same time address a wide range of misinformation,” Alex Mahadevan, director of MediaWise, told the AP.
Google ran a test campaign in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia back in August, and the results were positive, according to the AP. This announcement comes ahead of this week’s Munich Security Conference, which focuses on foreign policy and media security.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
