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11/19/2018 | Wissenschaftliche Standpunkte

How targeted disinformation can be recognized and stopped

In the policy paper series of the research association "Forum Privatheit", scientists from the DORIAN project have published a paper explaining how disinformation, also known as fake news, can be curbed. The project "Uncovering and Combating Disinformation" (DORIAN) is coordinated by the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology (SIT). The University of Kassel is also involved.

Social discussions and political opinion-forming processes are increasingly shifting to the online world. However, this not only offers a platform for the free exchange of opinions, but also many gateways for targeted disinformation. The interdisciplinary research project DORIAN has published a policy paper that begins by explaining what disinformation actually is: "Disinformation refers to publications that are demonstrably factually false or misleading and appear with manipulative intent, are shared and disseminated semi- to fully automatically." Among other things, the paper provides practical tips and suggestions that citizens, media and online operators, as well as politicians and legislators, can use to contribute to maintaining a fair culture of discussion and stabilizing democracy.

 

What can citizens do?

Even without special technical knowledge, citizens can easily recognize disinformation by carrying out plausibility checks: Textual features that indicate disinformation include scandalization, illogical structure and discrepancy between headline and text. In many cases, people with an affinity for technology can use a so-called reverse image search to quickly find out whether a photo or video has appeared before and actually belongs to the context. A key way to curb disinformation is to ensure that it is not spread further. People who discover disinformation on online platforms or suspect that this is the case should not forward it but report it to the respective distribution platform.

 

What can online operators do?

Blocking or deleting content or user accounts must be objectively justified - for example in the case of criminal content - must not be arbitrary and must respect freedom of expression in the political debate. They must prevent both overblocking and underblocking.

 

What can the media do?

The media should expose and correct. In doing so, they should not only counter the false report with the correct version, but also "embed the correction in a story". This serves two purposes: Firstly, the story can help to pique readers' interest and make them more likely to read and pass on the correct information. Secondly, the packaging in a story can help to ensure that the correct - and not the incorrect - information is more firmly incorporated into the recipient's knowledge base.




The recommendations for action have been published in the "Policy Paper" series of the "Forum Privacy" research association and can be downloaded free of charge: Uncovering and combating disinformation - recommendations for action

 

The project "Uncovering and Combating Disinformation" (DORIAN) is being carried out by the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology (SIT) (Coordinator), the University of Duisburg-Essen, Media Psychology, the Stuttgart Media University (HdM), Journalism and the Project Group for Constitutionally Compatible Technology Design (provet) at the Scientific Center for Information Technology Design (ITeG) at the University of Kassel. DORIAN has been funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research since August 1, 2017 and will run until 2019.

 

Project coordination "DORIAN":

Dr. Michael Kreutzer

Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology SIT

Phone: 06151 869-348

E-Mail: Michael.Kreutzer[at]sit.fraunhofer[dot]de

 

Spokesperson "Forum Privacy":

Prof. Dr. Alexander Roßnagel

University of Kassel

Project group for constitutionally compatible technology design (provet)

Scientific Center for Information Technology Design (ITeG)

Phone: 0561 804-3130 or 2874

E-mail: a.rossnagel[at]uni-kassel[dot]de

 

Project coordination "Forum Privacy":

Dr. Michael Friedewald

Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI

Competence Center New Technologies

Phone: 0721 6809-146

E-mail: Michael.Friedewald[at]isi.fraunhofer[dot]de

 

Press and communication "Forum Privacy":

Barbara Ferrarese, M.A.

Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research Institute ISI

Phone: 0721 6809-678

E-mail: presse[at]forum-privatheit[dot]de

 

Forum "Privacy and self-determined life in the digital world"

www.forum-privatheit.de/forum-privatheit-de/index.php

Twitter: @ForumPrivacy