Periodic Reporting for period 1 - WiseReader (Boosting trust in online media by instantly informing users about conflicts of interest)
Reporting period: 2023-07-01 to 2024-12-31
WiseReader addresses the global decline in media trust, a trend that has led citizens to rely on less reputable sources, exacerbating the spread of misinformation and undermining confidence in democratic institutions. This distrust is rooted in the perception that news companies are not independent but serve the interests of powerful economic actors they are connected to, a perception supported by evidence of biased content favoring owners, advertisers, and creditors. While some media outlets better insulate editorial decisions from external pressures, ordinary citizens struggle to discern these differences, leading to widespread distrust.
WiseReader aims to tackle this issue by enabling online users to effortlessly learn about potential conflicts of interest in the news outlets they consume. The project proposes a web browser extension that recognizes the news website a user is visiting, identifies companies and individuals featured in news articles, and searches a vast database of corporate information to identify relevant connections between the news outlet and these entities. These connections, such as ownership, advertising, lending relationships, and common board memberships, are displayed via an intuitive system of colored flags, with comprehensive information available on a dedicated website.
By harnessing big data, WiseReader empowers citizens to discern trustworthy news sources from those that should be questioned, thereby enhancing media literacy and fostering a more informed public. It also allows news outlets that value editorial independence to distinguish themselves, potentially improving their reputation and traffic. Unlike existing fact-checking tools that evaluate the accuracy of news reports, WiseReader focuses on informing readers about potential conflicts of interest, enabling them to make autonomous decisions about the content they consume. This approach addresses the subtler ways in which content might be biased, which are often difficult to detect through traditional fact-checking methods.
The integration of social sciences and humanities in WiseReader is crucial for understanding the complex dynamics of media trust, bias, and the impact of corporate influences on journalistic practices. These disciplines provide the theoretical framework and methodological tools necessary to analyze and interpret the data collected by the extension, ensuring that the project's findings are grounded in a robust understanding of media ecosystems and their societal implications.
The expected impact of WiseReader is significant, as it aims to restore trust in the media by promoting transparency and accountability. By providing users with a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the connections between news outlets and corporate interests, WiseReader contributes to a more informed and discerning public, ultimately strengthening democratic institutions and mitigating the spread of misinformation.
WiseReader aims to tackle this issue by enabling online users to effortlessly learn about potential conflicts of interest in the news outlets they consume. The project proposes a web browser extension that recognizes the news website a user is visiting, identifies companies and individuals featured in news articles, and searches a vast database of corporate information to identify relevant connections between the news outlet and these entities. These connections, such as ownership, advertising, lending relationships, and common board memberships, are displayed via an intuitive system of colored flags, with comprehensive information available on a dedicated website.
By harnessing big data, WiseReader empowers citizens to discern trustworthy news sources from those that should be questioned, thereby enhancing media literacy and fostering a more informed public. It also allows news outlets that value editorial independence to distinguish themselves, potentially improving their reputation and traffic. Unlike existing fact-checking tools that evaluate the accuracy of news reports, WiseReader focuses on informing readers about potential conflicts of interest, enabling them to make autonomous decisions about the content they consume. This approach addresses the subtler ways in which content might be biased, which are often difficult to detect through traditional fact-checking methods.
The integration of social sciences and humanities in WiseReader is crucial for understanding the complex dynamics of media trust, bias, and the impact of corporate influences on journalistic practices. These disciplines provide the theoretical framework and methodological tools necessary to analyze and interpret the data collected by the extension, ensuring that the project's findings are grounded in a robust understanding of media ecosystems and their societal implications.
The expected impact of WiseReader is significant, as it aims to restore trust in the media by promoting transparency and accountability. By providing users with a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the connections between news outlets and corporate interests, WiseReader contributes to a more informed and discerning public, ultimately strengthening democratic institutions and mitigating the spread of misinformation.
The activities undertaken by the project's team follow:
- development of the database of corporate relationships (completed);
- Named-Entity Recognition (NER) algorithm component (completed);
- creation of the browser extension for Google Chrome and testing it across twenty major media outlets in Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom (browser extension works well);
- user-testing and feedback phase (completed);
- comercialization remains an issue as tests showed that there is a very low likelihood that users are willing to pay for more information.
At the moment, we believe the main issue is the financial sustainability of the extension as we are certain that pending legal and technical aspects can be solved.
- development of the database of corporate relationships (completed);
- Named-Entity Recognition (NER) algorithm component (completed);
- creation of the browser extension for Google Chrome and testing it across twenty major media outlets in Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom (browser extension works well);
- user-testing and feedback phase (completed);
- comercialization remains an issue as tests showed that there is a very low likelihood that users are willing to pay for more information.
At the moment, we believe the main issue is the financial sustainability of the extension as we are certain that pending legal and technical aspects can be solved.
WiseReader goes beyond the current state of the art in media trust and transparency tools by offering a unique approach that focuses on empowering users to identify potential conflicts of interest in news reporting. Unlike existing fact-checking tools that primarily evaluate the accuracy of news content using human analysts or automated text analysis, WiseReader provides a more nuanced understanding of the influences that may shape news coverage.
On the one side, WiseReader leverages big data and advanced data analytics to uncover complex networks of corporate and political interests that are often obscured from public view. By identifying ownership structures, advertising relationships, lending connections, and shared board memberships, the tool offers a comprehensive map of potential biases that traditional fact-checking methods may overlook. This holistic approach allows users to consider not just the veracity of individual claims but also the broader context in which news is produced and disseminated. On the other, WiseReader's user-friendly interface, featuring an intuitive system of colored flags, makes it accessible to a wide audience. This design choice ensures that even users with limited technical expertise can easily understand and act upon the information provided. By making this data readily available, WiseReader democratizes access to critical insights about media independence, fostering a more informed and engaged citizenry. Moreover, WiseReader's focus on transparency rather than judgement sets it apart from other tools because it provides users with the information needed to make their own assessments about the credibility of news sources. This emphasis on user autonomy aligns with the principles of media literacy and critical thinking, encouraging users to actively question and evaluate the information they consume.
Finally, WiseReader's integration of social sciences and humanities enriches its analytical capabilities and ensures that its findings are grounded in a deep understanding of media dynamics. This interdisciplinary approach allows the project to address the multifaceted challenges of media trust and bias from various angles, providing a more comprehensive and robust solution than existing tools.
On the one side, WiseReader leverages big data and advanced data analytics to uncover complex networks of corporate and political interests that are often obscured from public view. By identifying ownership structures, advertising relationships, lending connections, and shared board memberships, the tool offers a comprehensive map of potential biases that traditional fact-checking methods may overlook. This holistic approach allows users to consider not just the veracity of individual claims but also the broader context in which news is produced and disseminated. On the other, WiseReader's user-friendly interface, featuring an intuitive system of colored flags, makes it accessible to a wide audience. This design choice ensures that even users with limited technical expertise can easily understand and act upon the information provided. By making this data readily available, WiseReader democratizes access to critical insights about media independence, fostering a more informed and engaged citizenry. Moreover, WiseReader's focus on transparency rather than judgement sets it apart from other tools because it provides users with the information needed to make their own assessments about the credibility of news sources. This emphasis on user autonomy aligns with the principles of media literacy and critical thinking, encouraging users to actively question and evaluate the information they consume.
Finally, WiseReader's integration of social sciences and humanities enriches its analytical capabilities and ensures that its findings are grounded in a deep understanding of media dynamics. This interdisciplinary approach allows the project to address the multifaceted challenges of media trust and bias from various angles, providing a more comprehensive and robust solution than existing tools.