News Detective

News Detective is addressing the problem of misinformation and disinformation in online news sources. Misinformation and disinformation are not new problems, but the rise of the internet and social media have exacerbated the issue. Inaccurate and false information can spread quickly and widely online, leading to a decrease in trust in news sources and a potential threat to democracy.

According to a study by the Pew Research Center, approximately two-thirds of American adults report that they have heard of fake news, and more than half believe it is a significant problem. Another study by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism found that only 44% of people in the United States trust the news, and that trust is even lower in other countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has also highlighted the severity of the problem, as false information about the virus and vaccines can have real-world consequences.

The problem of misinformation and disinformation is not limited to a specific community or region, but rather affects people all over the world. The widespread availability of news on the internet means that false information can easily spread across borders and impact individuals from different countries and cultures. Additionally, the impact of misinformation can be particularly severe in countries where the media is controlled or restricted by the government.

In terms of local and global statistics, the problem of misinformation is a pervasive issue that affects people all over the world. In the United States, a study by the Pew Research Center found that 62% of Americans get news from social media, which can increase their exposure to false information. In India, false information has led to mob violence and lynchings, while in Myanmar, misinformation has been used to incite violence against the Rohingya minority. The scale of the problem is vast, and News Detective aims to make a meaningful impact by providing users with a tool to combat misinformation in their communities.

News Detective's solution is a platform that allows users to verify the accuracy of news articles and sources through a community-driven fact-checking system. This platform aims to empower individuals to identify and report misinformation, while also providing accurate information to those seeking it. The platform leverages the power of crowd-sourcing to create a community of fact-checkers and volunteers who can work together to verify the accuracy of news articles.

Styled on Wikipedia's hierarchy, we basically have the "crowds" factcheck but professional factcheckers moderate.  Social media users request posts be factchecked, and other users factcheck them. Then, professional factcheckers choose correct answers, and those answers are posted directly on social media. As users become better factcheckers, they themselves become moderators, growing the pool of factcheckers, spreading media literacy on a mass scale, and scaling up factchecking on social media.

Crowdsourcing, letting users act as a hivemind factchecker for the collective, is one approach to keep up with the quantity of misinformation out there in a transparent, democratic way. As with Wikipedia, it's about the community as much it is about the software, and we are focused on developing both. Unlike top-down factchecking that is biased in favor of those in charge, this kind of factchecking is more egalitarian: anyone can join and factcheck, so factchecks represent a wide swath of society. It is democratic and transparent. Because of its crowdsourced nature, it is a process that can easily spread to other regions and languages.  

The News Detective platform seeks to address several factors contributing to the problem of misinformation. Firstly, it aims to provide users with a tool to identify and report false information, which can help to decrease the spread of inaccurate news. Secondly, it aims to provide accurate information to those seeking it, which can help to combat the spread of false information. Finally, by creating a community-driven fact-checking system, News Detective aims to foster a sense of trust and collaboration among its users, which can help to build a culture of accuracy and reliability in online news sources.

Social media companies have found that many users trust people in their communities far more than companies. So a solution like News Detective, that allows regular people to factcheck and see who checked what and why, is key to building that trust. Meanwhile, having professional factcheckers moderate ensures that accuracy remains high.

Click here to see the live demo

News Detective serves anyone who consumes news and wants to verify its accuracy. However, our main target population is people who are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of misinformation, such as individuals in marginalized communities, elderly individuals, and people who have limited access to information or digital literacy skills.

These groups are often underserved because they may lack the resources or knowledge to identify and avoid misinformation, leading to negative consequences such as health risks, loss of trust in institutions, and harm to democratic processes. News Detective's solution provides an accessible, user-friendly platform to verify the accuracy of news articles and sources, empowering these populations to make informed decisions and protect themselves from the harmful effects of misinformation.

By using our platform, individuals will be able to quickly and easily verify the accuracy of news articles and sources, reducing the risk of being misled by false information. This can have a significant impact on their lives, helping them to make informed decisions about their health, safety, and political views. Additionally, by promoting accurate and trustworthy news sources, our solution will contribute to a healthier media ecosystem, promoting democratic values and facilitating informed public discourse. Overall, our solution has the potential to improve the lives of millions of people who are currently underserved by existing solutions to the problem of misinformation.

I have over 18 years of experience as a journalist (National Geographic, The Atlantic, Marketplace, Snap Judgement), including extensive experience in fact-checking, which gives me a deep understanding of the importance of accurate and reliable information in today's world. While working as a factchecker at PolitiFact for Meta and TikTok, I saw how platforms struggled to keep up with the huge quantity of misinformation out there. Platforms could only check a tiny percentage of total posts, and they frequently had a backlog of thousands of claims that never got checked. Simultaneously, platforms struggled to build trust in their factchecking with users. News Detective was born as a solution to those problems.

Thanks to my journalism connections, I am well-equipped to bring the journalism community into News Detective, which is essential to cultivating a crowdsourced community built on journalistic principles. These connections have already enabled me to partner with a University of Illinois journalism class and journalism-themed Mastodon server, as well as Poynter, Politifact, and The International Fact-Checking Network.

The design and implementation of our solution are meaningfully guided by the input, ideas, and agendas of the communities we are serving. We are building this with platform moderators, allowing us to constantly engage with users to understand their needs and preferences through both surveys and observing their activity on the site, and we use this feedback to improve the platform and ensure that it remains relevant and useful to our users.

I am applying to Solve because I believe in the power of collective action to solve complex global problems. The mission of Solve, which is to bring together innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders to develop solutions that address some of the world's most pressing challenges, aligns perfectly with the goals of News Detective. By applying to Solve, I hope to connect with a community of like-minded individuals and organizations who are committed to tackling the issue of misinformation and improving the quality of online information.

We believe that everyone deserves access to accurate and trustworthy information, regardless of their socioeconomic status, background, or geographic location. Our vision for News Detective is rooted in a deep commitment to equity and community engagement. By crowdsourcing the process of fact-checking and verification, we are giving users from all communities the chance to assess and contribute to the credibility of information. We believe that this approach is essential for creating a more just and equitable society, and we are committed to working with partners who share this vision and can help us advance it.

One of the specific barriers we face in the development and growth of News Detective is the need for technical expertise and resources. As a Solver, we hope to connect with technical partners who can help us overcome these challenges and take our platform to the next level.

Another barrier we face is the need for increased market awareness and engagement. While we have already made significant progress in building partnerships and promoting our platform, there is still much work to be done in educating the public about the importance of fact-checking and promoting critical thinking skills. Through Solve, we hope to connect with partners who can help us expand our reach and engage with new communities and audiences.

In addition to these technical and market barriers, we also face legal and financial challenges as we navigate the complex landscape of online content and intellectual property. We hope to connect with legal and financial partners through Solve who can provide guidance and support as we continue to grow and develop our platform.

Overall, we are excited about the potential that Solve offers in terms of connecting us with partners who can help us overcome the barriers we face and advance our solution. We believe that by working together, we can make a significant impact in the fight against misinformation and contribute to a more informed and engaged global community.

News Detective approaches the problem of misinformation in a new and innovative way by empowering local communities to combat misinformation through a collaborative, bottom-up approach. Unlike traditional fact-checking models that rely on centralized, expert-driven efforts, News Detective leverages the power of citizen journalism and community engagement to identify and correct misinformation in real-time. 

The News Detective platform seeks to address several factors contributing to the problem of misinformation. Firstly, it aims to provide users with a tool to identify and report false information, which can help to decrease the spread of inaccurate news. Secondly, it aims to provide accurate information to those seeking it, which can help to combat the spread of false information. Finally, by creating a community-driven fact-checking system, News Detective aims to foster a sense of trust and collaboration among its users, which can help to build a culture of accuracy and reliability in online news sources.

This approach has several benefits over traditional fact-checking methods. First, it is more scalable and adaptable to local contexts, as it relies on local communities to identify and respond to misinformation. Second, it increases public trust in news sources, as community members can see firsthand how news is verified and corrected. Finally, it promotes greater civic engagement, as community members become active participants in the fight against misinformation.

News Detective's innovative approach could replace current social media factchecking (hiring professionals to check a tiny number of claims.) on established platforms, as well as enable newer platforms (like Mastodon) to moderate themselves effectively despite having few resources. It could also change the market by shifting the focus of news organizations from clickbait and sensationalism to accuracy and accountability. By empowering local communities to take an active role in verifying news, News Detective could help to create a more informed and engaged citizenry, ultimately leading to more vibrant democracies around the world.

Our impact goals for the next year include expanding our reach to more universities and newsrooms, increasing the number of fact-checkers using our platform, and improving the accuracy of the fact-checking process. We plan to achieve these goals by developing partnerships with more universities, media organizations, and social media plaforms and continuously improving the user experience and functionality of our platform based on user feedback.

Over the next five years, our impact goals are to establish News Detective as the leading fact-checking platform for universities and media organizations globally, to significantly reduce the spread of misinformation, and to promote a culture of fact-checking and media literacy. To achieve these goals, we will continue to expand our user base, invest in research and development to improve the accuracy and efficiency of our platform, and collaborate with like-minded organizations to promote fact-checking and media literacy initiatives. We also aim to develop strategic partnerships with social media platforms to integrate our fact-checking technology and reduce the spread of misinformation on their platforms.

Overall, our impact goals are to empower individuals and organizations to make informed decisions based on accurate and reliable information, and to contribute to a more informed and democratic society.

We are measuring our progress toward our impact goals through a combination of quantitative and qualitative indicators.

Quantitative indicators include the number of users of our platform, the number of fact-checks performed, and the percentage of misinformation corrected. We are also tracking the reach of our fact-checks through metrics such as likes and comments. Qualitative indicators include feedback from users, including journalists, researchers, and educators, on the effectiveness of our platform in helping them combat misinformation. We are also conducting surveys and interviews to understand how our platform is improving media literacy and critical thinking skills among our users. Prof. David Rand at MIT is working with us to measure these impacts. 

Additionally, we are exploring partnerships with organizations and institutions to expand our reach and impact, and we will track the number of partnerships established and their impact on our goals.

We are also exploring the possibility of aligning our impact goals with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to education and information access.

Our theory of change is based on the premise that improving media literacy and critical thinking skills can help individuals better navigate the complex landscape of news and information, leading to a reduction in the spread of misinformation and disinformation. Our solution, News Detective, provides a gamified learning platform that teaches users how to fact-check and verify information.

By improving users' media literacy and critical thinking skills, we expect to see a reduction in the number of individuals who unknowingly spread false information on social media and other platforms. This, in turn, will contribute to a reduction in the spread of misinformation and disinformation, leading to a more informed public and a healthier information ecosystem.

To support our theory of change, we are continuously monitoring and evaluating our platform's effectiveness in improving media literacy and critical thinking skills. We collect data on user engagement to measure the effectiveness of our platform in achieving its desired outcomes. We also conduct surveys and interviews with our users to gather feedback on their experience and assess the impact of our platform on their behavior and attitudes towards news and information.

News Detective is powered by a combination of open-source tools, custom-built software, and human expertise. Our platform uses natural language processing algorithms to extract and categorize key information from posts.

One of the key technologies we use is a collaborative platform that allows our fact-checkers to work together to identify and categorize claims, sources, and evidence. This platform enables us to quickly and efficiently verify or debunk claims, and to share our findings with the wider public using integration software like browser extensions and Mastodon patches.

But the most important technology we use is the craft of factchecking itself: a toolkit including things like identifying primary sources, investigating post authors, and looking out for suspicious language like "always" and "never."

Overall, our solution is powered by a combination of software and human expertise, allowing us to provide accurate, timely, and transparent fact-checking to combat the spread of misinformation.

At News Detective, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment in all aspects of our work. Our leadership team comprises individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences (our team is located in the U.S., Argentina, and Lebanon), and we actively seek to bring in members from a range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe that this diversity strengthens our team and allows us to better understand and serve our users.

To promote equity, we strive to ensure that our platform is shaped by diverse users. That means intentionally reaching out to a variety of communities (political, racial, regional, etc.) to join the platform. In addition to being the right thing to do, this makes our factchecking stronger, as factcheckers are challenged by users with different perspectives. 

As we continue to grow and evolve as an organization, we remain committed to these values and will continue to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of our work.

We serve two main populations:

Students/Professors/Teachers: Our platform is designed to provide engaging and interactive content that is tailored to the needs of our users, and we work closely with educators and subject matter experts to ensure that our content is accurate and relevant. Our goal is to equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to navigate the complex media landscape and make informed decisions, which includes both learning materials (interactive course and videos) as well as learning by doing. By building students' news literacy skills, News Detective aims to equip them with the tools they need to become informed and engaged citizens.

Social media platform moderators/ users: News Detective provides a solution to the spread of misinformation and disinformation on these platforms in a way that is both scalable and builds trust through transparency. By working directly with social media companies and their users, News Detective aims to create a safer and more trustworthy online environment for everyone.

News Detective's plan for becoming financially sustainable involves a combination of revenue streams to cover expected expenses. The first revenue stream is charging social media platforms a subscription fee to integrate with News Detective. This would enable social media platforms to increase their factchecking capacity and build trust with their users, while also financially supporting News Detective's efforts to combat misinformation.

Another revenue stream is advertising, but with a twist. In addition to traditional ads, users will be able to factcheck them as well. This innovative approach to advertising provides a value proposition for advertisers who want to show their commitment to accuracy and transparency, and allows News Detective to generate revenue while also promoting media literacy.

Finally, sustained donations and grants will be an important source of funding for News Detective's work. This will allow the organization to continue expanding its impact and reach, while also maintaining its commitment to independent and unbiased factchecking.

Overall, News Detective's revenue model is designed to ensure long-term financial sustainability, while also advancing the organization's mission to fight misinformation and promote media literacy at scale.

Grant from MIT DesignX startup incubator ($7,500)

Grant from MIT Sandbox startup incubator ($10,000)