WillBrink
04-08-17, 11:16
In an attempt to help people separate fake news from facts, Google has decided to attempt some more of meta fact checking system using various sources. Personally I'm not comfortable with anyone, group or org, being the arbiter of what is truth, and can lead to a slippery slope of "approved" truth. I'll attempt to keep an open mind however....Oh and this one very easy to answer:
"Still unanswered is whether these fact-check analyses will sway people who are already prone to believe false reports because they confirm preconceived notions."
Answer is: No.
Google expands fact checking in news searches
Google will expand the use of "fact check" tags in its search results — the tech industry's latest effort to combat false and misleading news stories.
People who search for a topic in Google's main search engine or the Google News section will see a conclusion such as "mostly true" or "false" next to stories that have been fact checked.
Google has been working with more than 100 news organizations and fact-checking groups , including The Associated Press, the BBC and NPR. Their conclusions will appear in search results as long as they meet certain formatting criteria for automation.
Google said only a few of those organizations, including PolitiFact and Snopes.com, have already met those requirements; The Washington Post also says it complies. Google said it expects the ranks of compliant organizations to grow following Friday's announcement.
Not all news stories will be fact checked. Multiple organizations may reach different conclusions; Google will show those separately.
Still unanswered is whether these fact-check analyses will sway people who are already prone to believe false reports because they confirm preconceived notions.
Glenn Kessler, who writes "The Fact Checker" column at The Washington Post, said in an email that Google's efforts should at least "make it easier for people around the world to obtain information that counters the spin by politicians and political advocacy groups, as well as purveyors of 'fake news.'"
He added that "over time, I expect that people increasingly will want to read a fact-check on a controversial issue or statement, even if the report conflicts with their political leanings."
Cont:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/google-offers-fact-check-conclusions-news-searches-46654436
"Still unanswered is whether these fact-check analyses will sway people who are already prone to believe false reports because they confirm preconceived notions."
Answer is: No.
Google expands fact checking in news searches
Google will expand the use of "fact check" tags in its search results — the tech industry's latest effort to combat false and misleading news stories.
People who search for a topic in Google's main search engine or the Google News section will see a conclusion such as "mostly true" or "false" next to stories that have been fact checked.
Google has been working with more than 100 news organizations and fact-checking groups , including The Associated Press, the BBC and NPR. Their conclusions will appear in search results as long as they meet certain formatting criteria for automation.
Google said only a few of those organizations, including PolitiFact and Snopes.com, have already met those requirements; The Washington Post also says it complies. Google said it expects the ranks of compliant organizations to grow following Friday's announcement.
Not all news stories will be fact checked. Multiple organizations may reach different conclusions; Google will show those separately.
Still unanswered is whether these fact-check analyses will sway people who are already prone to believe false reports because they confirm preconceived notions.
Glenn Kessler, who writes "The Fact Checker" column at The Washington Post, said in an email that Google's efforts should at least "make it easier for people around the world to obtain information that counters the spin by politicians and political advocacy groups, as well as purveyors of 'fake news.'"
He added that "over time, I expect that people increasingly will want to read a fact-check on a controversial issue or statement, even if the report conflicts with their political leanings."
Cont:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/google-offers-fact-check-conclusions-news-searches-46654436