July 16, 2024
From fact checker to content creator: VRT joins forces in the fight against disinformation
A shocking news story or striking statistic in your news feed? It’s tempting to share such posts right away. But do you also stop to think about whether the info is right? Incorrect information, or disinformation, is spreading faster than ever and has an impact on everyone. Take climate change or healthcare advice, for example. To arm every Flemish person – and young people in particular – against disinformation, VRT is helping work on the right tools for media makers and media users, in various ways.
In 2022, the Flemish Government decided to support five projects focusing on disinformation, in the context of the Vlaamse Veerkracht (Flemish Resilience) recovery plan. VRT helped with the recovery projects Eerste hulp bij twijfel (EHBT), or “First Aid When in Doubt,” and CounterScam. The goal? To offer something to rely on in the face of dubious stories, as well as to make fact checks on social media as precise and accessible as possible.
Right tools and storytelling
Under the auspices of the EHBT project, together with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, University of Antwerp, KU Leuven, Textgain, Roularta Media Group and the fact-checking platform deCheckers, VRT worked on new tools and formats for media makers. Today, fact-checking resources for journalists are often still too complex and difficult to understand. With its own “Checkbox,” VRT built an online, accessible training platform that helps editorial teams swiftly detect dubious messages and use the right tools. VRT also helped look at formats that can make the difference on platforms where it is difficult to distinguish between true and false.
Working with influencers and content creators
In addition, VRT joined forces with creator community Chase and deCheckers, to raise digital content creators’ awareness of the impact of disinformation. The project aims to make youths in Flanders and Brussels, from followers to creators, more resilient in the face of possible disinformation on social media. This is done by presenting fact checks in an innovative way on social media and supporting content creators when it comes to disinformation.
Through an interactive podcast, content creators get tips and tricks on dealing with disinformation, in an easily accessible way. Journalists and content creators join forces and discuss topics such as AI, communities and fake news. With each episode, links to insights from the project – from scientific articles to new experiences – are shared.
As part of CounterScam, the platform deCheckers was also expanded with various partners and its own community. In this way, content creators and their followers can easily find their way to consult fact checks and report new stories. Jan Jagers, Managing Director of deCheckers, is delighted with what CounterScam has achieved.
