Wu Min Hsuan (ttcat)
18 Apr 2018, 4:30 p.m. Auditorium 1
CoFacts is a collaborative fact-checking project that combines a chatbot with a hoax database, integrated within LINE, a popular instant messenger app in Asia. Disinformation can be much more effectively shared within closed messenger groups such as Whatsapp or LINE than on standard social media platforms, and news organisations or even the platform owners find it hard to gain access for moderation or correction.
Supported by a g0v.tw Civic Tech grant, the team grew within 8 months to become the largest fact-checking community in Taiwan, with 400 volunteer editors. More than 20,000 people use this chatbot to report around 150 new messages every week. It’s also now possible to see how false information is spread, by analyzing its frequency along with timestamps of reports.
In this talk, Min showcases the project with a demo, explains the system and describes community guidelines, sharing insights and findings.