ABOUT US
Who we are
We are a group of students at the University of Exeter working collaboratively towards a global issue: Fighting Fake News: Exploring Coronavirus Misinformation in the Grand Challenge Online 2020.
Our goal
Our goal is to raise public awareness of the seriousness of the spreading of misinformation and advise the right way to fight fake news.
The outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has triggered a series of unhealthy events, such as hatred and racism against the Chinese community; panic and irrational stockpiling; prolonged lockdowns in countries, and worst of all the spreading of misinformation over various social media platforms.
The United Nations declared that internet access is a fundamental human right and we are lucky to enjoy this freedom. However, along with rights comes responsibilities. As a user, we should take account of what we post and share. We understand that sometimes it is difficult to identify false information. Therefore, we created this website to help you become a warrior to fake news.
Think prudently and Share wisely
OUR FINDINGS
About Infodemic
The expression infodemic makes up two separate word Information and epidemic. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it is an excessive amount of information about a problem, which makes it difficult to identify a solution. This includes misinformation, disinformation and rumors.
The directions of our research are as follows:
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To identify the people who are most susceptible to misinformation of COVID-19 and why
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To analyse the underlying factors of misinformation
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To illustrate various examples of COVID 19 fake news
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To propose recommendations to limit the spread of false information
Don't get faked. Fact check before sharing.
Our advice
When should you be worried
It is hard to be prudent and cautious all the time when using the internet, but be aware of the following signs that may suggest that something could be misleading.
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You start to have a strong emotional reaction
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The content seems to be ridiculous
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When you are going to spend money on it
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You immediately want to amplify the story
How do you fact-check?
Here is a list that guide users to evaluate the credibility of the sources. They are categorised into 4 big titles.
Ownership and Financing:
Users should look for the information of the site owner. It can be an individual; a company, NGO or the government. The ownership of the site reveals important information about its ideology, stance and political positions.
The financing information discloses the sources of funding, whether it is sponsored by certain parties or it is financed through donations or subscriptions. This information gives a hint of the interested party of the site.
Content:
Responsible sites should not repeatedly be publishing false or inaccurate stories. Errors should be corrected promptly once discovered. If they are not adjusted, this false information may probably have the intention to mislead and deceive readers.
Moreover, reliable sites should report the information in a true or fair manner, with the original sources stated and proper reference made.
Credibility:
When reading a piece of news, readers should always locate the responsible author easily. Their real names are clearly disclosed somewhere near their respective passage. It allows the content creator to be held accountable for what they have produced and published.
The site should also reveal its editorial staff, providing the names, titles and contact details. Readers are able to know the person who is in charge.
Transparency:
Transparency in journalism refers to disclosing potential conflicts of interest and making additional reporting material available to readers when necessary. It helps readers and users to understand the decision-making process and the potential risk of studying the published materials.
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The ownership information can be found on the website. (Screenshot from financial times)
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This is an example of responsible referencing. There is a link connecting to the original source of the information. (Screenshot from financial times)
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The authors' names are located under the picture. (Screenshot from financial times)
