After the Facebook group Meta announced that it would end its cooperation with fact-checkers in the USA, the “Tagesschau” plans to increase its activities against misinformation on social media platforms. The ARD state broadcasters also intensified their efforts, said Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR). “The “Tagesschau” will significantly increase its fact-checking capacity by the end of this year.”
Germany’s most watched news program, for example, offers a so-called “fact finder” with classifications on its website. He deals with a wide range of topics and their resonance in social media – from the security of the upcoming federal election to alternatives to sugar in the diet.
“Fact Finder”, “#Fact Fox” and others
Regarding the Magdeburg attack, the “Fact Finder” examined statements made by suspect Taleb A. online and clarified which of them were taken out of context in social media posts. Individual ARD stations also offer fact-checking services such as Bayerischer Rundfunk’s “#Faktenfuchs”. These offers are neither commissioned nor financed by Meta or other platforms.
“A total of seven employees are currently working for NDR and ARD-aktuell for fact checking and verification – there should be significant reinforcements here by the end of the year,” specified an NDR spokeswoman in response to a dpa request. “In the coming months, possible collaborations between ARD-aktuell and the NDR’s information program area in the area of fact checking and verification will be examined.”
Images, videos and audios are also checked
All journalists working in their daily work counteract the spread of false information, according to NDR. “In addition, ARD-aktuell has a specialized “fact finder” team that continuously uncovers disinformation and prepares it in the form of current articles on tagesschau.de. “In addition, various colleagues in the ARD-aktuell team are working on the forensic examination of image, video and audio material in order to verify the authenticity,” the broadcaster added upon request.
“False information endangers social cohesion,” explained Marcus Bornheim, first editor-in-chief of ARD-aktuell and responsible for the “Tagesschau,” according to the statement. “As “Tagesschau”, together with ARD, our task is to strengthen society with reliable information. In these times, more than ever, this includes identifying and debunking disinformation and AI-generated fake content.”
Operators and authorities should generally take care
However, ARD sees the fundamental responsibility for curbing misinformation and AI-manipulated media as remaining with the platform operators and the responsible regulatory authorities at national and European level. “The increased efforts of public broadcasters cannot and should not replace this responsibility.”
Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg announced in a video that he would end cooperation with fact checkers for the Facebook, Instagram and Threads platforms in the USA. A user-based moderation system modeled on Elon Musk’s Platform X is intended to replace fact checkers.
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Source: www.digitalfernsehen.de
