Blocking Fake News: Americans now consider fake news a major issue, surpassing racism, climate change, and terrorism. Some today use the phrase for any news they detest, however, it originally referred to the purposeful spread of false information. New usage confuses bogus news.
Politicians calling biased or unfavorable news fake news has generated this new definition. Addiction to the phrase hurts respectable news outlets. Over bogus news, many individuals will stop reading and/or watching news. Avoiding contradictory information or cutting off social contacts may increase polarization. Polarisation makes it tougher to compromise and solve issues.
In conclusion, false news is a big issue that requires precise definitions to address. Explaining the term “fake news” into misinformation and disinformation is helpful. Misinformation refers to false information spread whether intended or not. The act of spreading misinformation while believing it is true. Disinformation refers to intentionally misleading or biased and altered narratives facts, or propaganda. Similar to the original definition of fake news. Fake news creators use uneducated readers to spread inaccurate information.
Journalists provide a simplified version of complex topics for readers. Readers like black-and-white articles, so a journalist may highlight particular parts to make it easier to read on the go. If not intended to mislead, the story will likely be corrected. While partial news is an issue, it is not “fake news” if it omits critical information.
Misinformation about politics, science, and economics is often transmitted through fake news, leading to radicalization, public health issues, and market manipulation. Stopping fake news: how? In their paper, “Authenticating real news with ANSAcheck,” Mary Lacity and Dan Conway from the Blockchain Center of Excellence present how ANSA and Ernst & Young have used blockchain technologies to prevent disinformation from spreading.
Going Viral
Fake news is hard to spot even for skeptics. People prefer information that supports their views and attitudes over conflicting information. The authors warn that with so many new sites, biases may lead people to choose ‘echo chambers,’ news sites that just regurgitate their ideas. Interestingly, people think members in their echo chamber can recognize bogus news better than those from other parties.
Fake news is hard to recognize, and our news consumption contributes to it. Because Facebook and Twitter allow individuals to swiftly share information, bogus news can easily go viral. MIT researchers observed two ways Facebook groups spread vaccination misinformation: They act as ‘echo chambers’ where members ‘like’ posts from other users that reinforce their views or opinions, and they act as a dissemination tool when members share group posts with their wider social networks.
The more people see bogus news, the more likely they are to believe it. This acceptance is alarming given how social media promotes viral posts. Fake news about Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton was circulated millions of times throughout the 2016 election. In the months leading up to the 2016 U.S. election, Facebook saw 8.7 million fake news story engagements compared to 7.3 million authentic ones.
Stopping the Spread at the Source
No single solution can eradicate fake news, they write. To stop the spread, governments, journalists, publishers, social media platforms, and citizens must contribute. Most fixes to fake news are implemented after the news has been released. Fact-checking websites, AI, legal liability, and education have reduced the influence of fake news.
What if bogus news could be stopped at its source? To do that, Italy’s independent news agency ANSA designed a novel solution. ANSA faced imposters, and phony news pieces claiming to be from ANSA. These impostors legitimized phony news with the ANSA brand, format, and signature. Since these items featured ANSA branding, readers had little reason to call them fake news.
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ANSA CEO and managing director Stefano De Alessandri launched the ANSAcheck program to prevent imposters. Fake news is one of the biggest challenges facing traditional media organizations and social media platforms, said De Alessandri. An impostor story violates public and advertiser confidence and their strategic asset, their reputation. Without faith, we lose everything.
EY helped ANSA employ blockchain technology to verify the authenticity of an ANSA story and track its modifications and reposts. The solution is digital notarization. As US notary publics impartially examine identities and signatures of vital papers, ANSAcheck validates that news came from ANSA and not an imposter.
All Aboard the Blockchain Train
Blockchain is a new technology gaining traction in food safety, supply chain management, financial services, and more. Blockchains hold data in a growing list of ordered records. Remembering a train or train network will help you grasp this.
Blockchains function like huge trains with multiple tracks: connected cars (blocks) linked by cryptography run along a network of rails (nodes). Each block contains unique, decentralized data. A blockchain can only contain certain data, much like a passenger train couldn’t have a goods car. Just like rails keep trains on track, cryptography keeps cars connected securely, and nodes manage data. Limited to the Reader’s Digest edition of blockchains. Research it.
Blockchains are great for news verification, among other things. Every 15 to 30 minutes, ANSAcheck submits an ANSA-created news report to a public blockchain with a unique ID. The blockchain stores the story ID, transaction ID, timestamp, and location of the news story in a tamper-resistant record. Click the ANSA check mark on each verified news report to view the source and updates. This sticker operates like the lock next to a URL on your browser, indicating it as “safe” to view.
The database (train network) of possible ANSA publications includes ANSA stories (red cars) and imposters (blue cars). The blockchain will reject any attempt to alter or create a tale (add a blue car to the train) at the originating depot, even if only one letter is modified. The train gets more red cars as fresh stories are posted, and connected securely.
Around 3,000 news pieces can be registered daily, and as of October 6, 2020, over 500,000 ANSA news stories were on the blockchain. Future versions of the solution will authenticate photographs and videos and allow publishers to repost stories with their commentary.
What to Know Going Forward
The Walton College Blockchain Center of Excellence shares four ANSAcheck lessons for other companies using blockchains to address challenges.
Don’t Ignore Public Networks
Although most firms employ permissioned platforms, EY supports and invests in public networks to promote open, decentralized blockchains. Even though a blockchain is public, not everyone can access its data. EY’s blockchain is like a VPN for private transactions on public blockchains. Companies implementing blockchain solutions should explore public blockchains for scalability and transparency.
Build Strong Networks from the Inside
The reputation and networks of initial members in a blockchain ecosystem are more significant than their quantity. Trusting the founding member(s) will encourage other potential members to join the application. The leading Italian news wire agency, ANSA, is connected to over 35 publishers. Other publications boost their reputation by increasing ANSAcheck’s worth by joining ANSA’s blockchain network.
Keep it Simple
Blockchain can be scary. Cryptography, distributed digital ledgers, native digital assets, smart contracts, and more can confuse anyone. ANSA chose to educate readers more on what blockchains enable rather than explaining the technical details, the authors write. Making initial solutions simple helps potential adopters appreciate their value and avoid risk.
Focus on Value
Blockchain technology adoption also depends on how potential adopters interpret the solution. Potential adopters are less likely to join if they are overwhelmed by the issue and can’t perceive its usefulness. Verification increases brand exposure and confidence, and tracking reposts and other statistics helps publishers appropriately price subscription and advertising rates. Focusing on blockchains’ value helps potential users see past their complexity.
The Future of Blockchain
Blockchain has a promising future in many businesses, especially information verification. By 2023, 30% of global news will use blockchain authentication. Blockchain presents a possible solution to many fake news issues as worries rise. ANSA, Italy’s first blockchain implementation, doesn’t want to be last. Readers, publishers, and journalists benefit when everyone embraces this solution. Any mechanism to protect and expand professional information serves democracy, argues De Alessandro. Blockchain may unite us block by block.
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