Google launches news initiative to combat fake news

[Honeycombe8]

Source: Reuters

Google is launching the Google News Initiative, to weed out fake news online and during breaking news situations, it said in a blog post on Tuesday.

Google said it plans to spend $300 million over the next three years to improve the accuracy and quality of news appearing on its platforms. (bit.ly/2DHgQf0)

The changes come as Google, Facebook Inc (FB.O) and Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) face a backlash over their role during the U.S. presidential election by allowing the spread of false and often malicious information that might have swayed voters toward Republican candidate Donald Trump.



Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-google-news/google-launches-news-initiative-to-combat-fake-news-idUSKBN1GW2C0

---

I hope this works. Whatever happens with this, things should be better for the mid-terms, insofar as fake news, with Facebook, Twitter, and Google all on the hot seat about what happened, and with steps that are, and will be, taking place to combat fake news.

I believe that this is one reason Trump adopted the "fake news" meme. Because he participated in a scheme to spread fake news, and it's part of the GOP strategy to attack your opponent with negativity that you yourself are guilty of, before they get a chance to do it. That way, after you have claimed "fake news," they own the term, so when the opposition tries to use it, it falls flat and seems more like a "you, too" thing said defensively.

Also why he yelled "the election is rigged!" When all along, HE had participated in rigging the election.

Hope whatever Google does, helps with this problem, though. For myself, I use news organization sites directly, whenever possible. I don't rely on "news" on social media, like Facebook. If it's not being reported by Reuters, AP, CNN, MSNBC, MSN, NBCnews, CBSnews, etc. Legitimate news orgs that at least have a vetting procedure in place for what it reports. Some journalistic cred.

[ehrnst]

1. Where the fuck was this two years ago? (nt)

[Honeycombe8]

3. I know. But to be fair, no one knew about this problem at the time...

and even when it started to be noticed, no one had any idea of the enormity and cohesiveness of it (that it was being done by a group FOR one candidate, and possibly mixed up with Russia).

[Wwcd]

2. Ummm..did we forget the 24/7 promotional advertising for Donald Trump in 2015/16?

By these fine upstanding legitimate news sources that vet their news???

They gave us this horror show.

"If it's not being reported by Reuters, AP, CNN, MSNBC, MSN, NBCnews, CBSnews, etc. Legitimate news orgs that at least have a vetting procedure in place "

Reuters is the only legitimate one of the bunch.

Cripe.

[Honeycombe8]

4. Nice try. It was the fake news that did it.

The legit news orgs REPORTED. On both candidates. And repeatedly pointed out his lies. But nice try.

Besides, it's not the quantity, but the truth of the reporting that matters.

Obama was in the news in 2007 daily. As he should have been. Presidential candidates are big news. Esp when they lie egregiously and are outrageous and repulsive like Trump was. That's news. Clinton was covered plenty. Of course, the country is very familiar with Clinton, so not as many reasons to have her in the news daily, except for the email investigation.

[Mr. Sparkle]

5. The right wing fake news sites are not going to be happy about this.

How long before they freaking out and wanting to start their own right wing search engine.

[Honeycombe8]

6. Yes, they'll do something. Remember Trump was going to start his own news internet channel?

I also heard snippets of others doing the same...Steve Bannon maybe? Yes, I think Bannon.

But those won't work as well as fake news and data theft to target extremists who might vote for them.

It took threats of regulation to get Google and Facebook to do something, though.

[FakeNoose]

7. Cheeto said "the election is rigged" because he thought he would lose

If he'd known he would win, he probably never would have said it. And yes, it IS proof that he WAS complicit!