Technology 2 min read

BBC Joins Tech Companies in the Fight Against Fake News

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

The British Broadcasting Corporation, simply known as BBC, is joining the fight against fake news. According to the British broadcasting network, it is taking new measures to ensure that the public receives nothing but factual and unbiased news.

The media outlet announced its plans to tackle fake news in a report over the weekend. BBC said:

“The new measures include an early warning system for use during elections or when lives may be at risk, extra online education and improved access to impartial resources for voters.”

The media network also revealed that major publishers and tech firms like Twitter, Google, and Facebook had helped device its latest reporting scheme. It claimed that its moves are crucial in the seemingly endless battle against disinformation.

BBC’s announcement came amid people’s criticism of influential tech companies and social media networks for their alleged failure to stop the spread of not just disinformation, but misinformation as well.

BBC’s Fight Against Fake News

Earlier this summer, BBC held a Trusted News Summit where it convened with representatives from some of the world’s biggest tech companies and publishers. During the said summit, BBC and the tech firms drew plans to strengthen the fight against fake news.

The plans include:

  • Early warning system: creating a system so that organizations can alert each other rapidly when they discover disinformation that threatens human life or disrupts democracy during elections. The emphasis will be on moving quickly and collectively to undermine disinformation before it can take hold.
  • Media education: a joint online media education campaign to support and promote media education messages.
  • Voter information: co-operation on civic information around elections, so there is a common way to explain how and where to vote.
  • Shared learning:  particularly around high-profile elections.

In a statement, BBC Director-General Tony Hall said:

“Disinformation and so-called fake news is a threat to us all. At its worst, it can present a serious threat to democracy and even to people’s lives. This summit has shown a determination to take collective action to fight this problem and we have agreed on some crucial steps towards this.”

Details about BBC’s scheme to stop the spread of false news is set to be released at a later date.

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Chelle Fuertes

Chelle is the Product Management Lead at INK. She's an experienced SEO professional as well as UX researcher and designer. She enjoys traveling and spending time anywhere near the sea with her family and friends.

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