Researchers have developed a new tool based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), which can help social media networks and news organizations to cut back false news.
In Canada, researchers at The University of Waterloo have developed this tool. It uses deep-learning Artificial Intelligence algorithms to ascertain if other stories or posts support the claims made in the stories or posts on the same subject.
The researcher of the study, Alexander Wong, a professor at Waterloo University, said, “If there are many posts on the same subject, it is probable that the story is real. But if most of the information is not supportive, it is a piece of strong evidence you are dealing with fake news.”
As per the study, manifested at the ‘Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems’ in Canada, researchers were urged to develop the tool by the increase of online news stories and posts that prevaricate to cheat or trick readers, typically for an economic or political gain.
The system promotes continuous efforts to develop fully automated technology that is capable of identifying fake news by achieving 90% accuracy in a significant area of research known as ‘stance detection.’
Stance detection is the automatic detection of a piece of text to find out whether the author is in favor of the given target or against it.
On comparing a claim in one post or news with the other posts and news on the same subject, the system can determine correctly whether they support it or not.
It is a new benchmark for precision by researchers. They have used a large dataset build for a 2017 scientific competition called the Fake News Challenge.
The study says that While scientists all over the world were trying to build a fully automated system by continuously working on it, Waterloo technology could be used as a screening tool by human fact-checkers at the news organizations and social media.
Wong said, ” The technology expands the fact checker’s capabilities and flags information for verification that does not look right, the tool is not designed to replace people, but to help them to check the facts more reliably and faster.”
A study researcher, Chris Dulhanty, said, “We need to empower journalists to uncover the truth and keep us informed.”
He also added, “This represents an effort in a larger body of work to decrease the spread of disinformation.”
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