Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MediaFutures (MediaFutures, Data-driven innovation hub for the media value chain)
Reporting period: 2021-09-01 to 2023-08-31
Public opinion is increasingly formed online, based on content and narratives optimised for clicks rather than a balanced point of view and corroborating evidence. The media sector faces multiple challenges, such as fragmented audiences, polarised public engagement, growing distrust in our political or democratic institutions and shortening attention spans due to the abundance of free content. The shift from traditional media to content on social media and various other platforms makes it hard to detect and moderate deep fakes, hate speech and other harmful content. Initiatives to study the factual grounds of public claims have not yet reached critical mass and online tools to support fact checking and help make sense of data are still underdeveloped.
MediaFutures enabled the co-creation of new approaches, experiences, technologies and novel moderation forms for social media platforms to detect and decrease the negative effects of deep fakes, hate speech and other forms of harmful content. Thus, MediaFutures generated a digital innovation framework enabling entrepreneurs to address challenges in the media sector, while making data understandable via digital tools. MediaFutures' digital innovation framework included funding, mentoring and support for novel entrepreneurial and creative initiatives to reshape the media value chain. Its participatory, inclusive innovation programme leverages impulses from multiple disciplines, and supports synergies between entrepreneurs and creatives.
MediaFutures enabled the co-creation of new approaches, experiences, technologies and novel moderation forms for social media platforms to detect and decrease the negative effects of deep fakes, hate speech and other forms of harmful content. Thus, MediaFutures generated a digital innovation framework enabling entrepreneurs to address challenges in the media sector, while making data understandable via digital tools. MediaFutures' digital innovation framework included funding, mentoring and support for novel entrepreneurial and creative initiatives to reshape the media value chain. Its participatory, inclusive innovation programme leverages impulses from multiple disciplines, and supports synergies between entrepreneurs and creatives.
During the last project year, we selected 19 teams for the START phase, 13 teams for the BUILD phase and the 3 winning teams of OC3.
The acceleration program supported 27 SmA and 24 SfC projects. Coaching and pitch training were organized to get the teams ready to advance to the BUILD phase.
The residency programme supported 15 artistic residencies and 27 collaborations between artists and startups. All teams in the BUILD phase successfully graduated and projects got sustainable overtime thanks to our dissemination network.
The training programme was modified to better inform participants of expectations, and to improve and update mandatory training. 2 completely new modules in data visualisation and dashboard best practices were also offered. This 2nd training module was opened to participants in EUHubs4Data to share learning with other programmes.
The consortium was active in supporting experiments. 23 generative AI datasets were made available this year. 2 workshops were held on the use of data in innovation projects, and 9 teams were given further mentoring beyond the formal support programme. The Data Innovation Toolkit was launched and this was followed throughout the year by further development based on inputs from the programme participants. User journeys based on real life use to improve navigation and interaction were created. 2 academic research papers were authored. The first, on AI Art and Misinformation, was presented at AI Ethics and Society in Montreal in August 2023. The second, on the use of data in the MediaFutures programme, is being submitted to the journal Big Data and Society.
MediaFutures established a strong ecosystem around the project, in particular having been part of the S+T+ARTS network and activities and through a close collaboration with the Big Data Value Association as well as related projects and initiatives,e.g. EIT Culture & Creativity Knowledge and Innovation Community.
The consortium was very active in spreading information and sharing contents to the interesting community of the project, such as artists, startups and SMEs, both for creating interest in participating in the Open Calls and for sharing project outcomes.The active participation in and organization of events contributed to the fact that the target audiences were informed about the project and its results regularly. The results remain available through the project website. As one of the key results of the project, over 50 SMEs and startups & over 40 artists in 3 cohorts were acquired.
The impact assessment methodology was applied to the 2nd and 3rd cohorts. A dedicated impact assessment report was developed for each of them describing the social, economic, policy-related and technological impact of the supported projects, on the engaged citizens as well as on other project stakeholders.
MediaFutures established its framework, governance, roles, planning and monitoring guidelines, collaborative infrastructure, procedures and quality mechanisms for timely delivery of high quality project results.
During the last project year, ongoing support was provided to ensure compliance with legal frameworks like GDPR, offering training to the teams and providing personalised coaching. The Joint Controller Agreement was finalized and signed.
The project consistently emphasised the importance of safeguarding freedom of expression. Participants engaged in discussions on disinformation and misinformation, featuring key stakeholders and experts. Our focus remained on using data for innovation to combat disinformation and media challenges.
The acceleration program supported 27 SmA and 24 SfC projects. Coaching and pitch training were organized to get the teams ready to advance to the BUILD phase.
The residency programme supported 15 artistic residencies and 27 collaborations between artists and startups. All teams in the BUILD phase successfully graduated and projects got sustainable overtime thanks to our dissemination network.
The training programme was modified to better inform participants of expectations, and to improve and update mandatory training. 2 completely new modules in data visualisation and dashboard best practices were also offered. This 2nd training module was opened to participants in EUHubs4Data to share learning with other programmes.
The consortium was active in supporting experiments. 23 generative AI datasets were made available this year. 2 workshops were held on the use of data in innovation projects, and 9 teams were given further mentoring beyond the formal support programme. The Data Innovation Toolkit was launched and this was followed throughout the year by further development based on inputs from the programme participants. User journeys based on real life use to improve navigation and interaction were created. 2 academic research papers were authored. The first, on AI Art and Misinformation, was presented at AI Ethics and Society in Montreal in August 2023. The second, on the use of data in the MediaFutures programme, is being submitted to the journal Big Data and Society.
MediaFutures established a strong ecosystem around the project, in particular having been part of the S+T+ARTS network and activities and through a close collaboration with the Big Data Value Association as well as related projects and initiatives,e.g. EIT Culture & Creativity Knowledge and Innovation Community.
The consortium was very active in spreading information and sharing contents to the interesting community of the project, such as artists, startups and SMEs, both for creating interest in participating in the Open Calls and for sharing project outcomes.The active participation in and organization of events contributed to the fact that the target audiences were informed about the project and its results regularly. The results remain available through the project website. As one of the key results of the project, over 50 SMEs and startups & over 40 artists in 3 cohorts were acquired.
The impact assessment methodology was applied to the 2nd and 3rd cohorts. A dedicated impact assessment report was developed for each of them describing the social, economic, policy-related and technological impact of the supported projects, on the engaged citizens as well as on other project stakeholders.
MediaFutures established its framework, governance, roles, planning and monitoring guidelines, collaborative infrastructure, procedures and quality mechanisms for timely delivery of high quality project results.
During the last project year, ongoing support was provided to ensure compliance with legal frameworks like GDPR, offering training to the teams and providing personalised coaching. The Joint Controller Agreement was finalized and signed.
The project consistently emphasised the importance of safeguarding freedom of expression. Participants engaged in discussions on disinformation and misinformation, featuring key stakeholders and experts. Our focus remained on using data for innovation to combat disinformation and media challenges.
As described in D6.4. MediaFutures supported early-stage interdisciplinary and intersectoral projects addressing the challenges of misinformation and disinformation with data and AI. These projects propose services, products, artworks and experiences that promote trustworthy information sources and media literacy, facilitate behaviour change, and encourage civic and political participation.
Most projects included a public outreach element; seven of them addressed specifically under-represented groups such as refugees and the LGBTQI+ community. Another important aspect is the change induced by MediaFutures through training, mentoring and support on responsible data practices. The training provided on GDPR and data stewardship and governance helped projects implement new policies and approaches that resulted in higher user engagement and more effective collaborations with external partners. In quantitative terms, the projects reached 331,590 people through physical and online engagements. The teams reported an increase in collaboration and in visibility and recognition, all fundamental for further project development and output exploitation. Interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration (art and science) proved to be a central element in MediaFutures both for the supported teams and for project stakeholders. For teams, the collaboration was fruitful in the vast majority of cases. Benefits reported include: reciprocal learning, gain from each others' strengths and expertise and expected improvements in product quality. For project stakeholders (primarily media and arts sectors, but also higher education, innovation, research) MediaFutures showcases success stories and lessons learned that will inform the design of future funding instruments and similar programmes.
The project has pushed boundaries beyond the state of the art in a number of areas: open innovation, marrying formats from two areas (entrepreneurship, arts) through a coherent programme of funding and support, including a dedicated track for startups and artists; practical support, chiefly a interdisciplinary open-source toolkit created through a participatory approach with the MediaFutures consortium and the funded projects, which brings together insights and expertise from research, technology, professional training, (social) entrepreneurship, and the arts.
Most projects included a public outreach element; seven of them addressed specifically under-represented groups such as refugees and the LGBTQI+ community. Another important aspect is the change induced by MediaFutures through training, mentoring and support on responsible data practices. The training provided on GDPR and data stewardship and governance helped projects implement new policies and approaches that resulted in higher user engagement and more effective collaborations with external partners. In quantitative terms, the projects reached 331,590 people through physical and online engagements. The teams reported an increase in collaboration and in visibility and recognition, all fundamental for further project development and output exploitation. Interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration (art and science) proved to be a central element in MediaFutures both for the supported teams and for project stakeholders. For teams, the collaboration was fruitful in the vast majority of cases. Benefits reported include: reciprocal learning, gain from each others' strengths and expertise and expected improvements in product quality. For project stakeholders (primarily media and arts sectors, but also higher education, innovation, research) MediaFutures showcases success stories and lessons learned that will inform the design of future funding instruments and similar programmes.
The project has pushed boundaries beyond the state of the art in a number of areas: open innovation, marrying formats from two areas (entrepreneurship, arts) through a coherent programme of funding and support, including a dedicated track for startups and artists; practical support, chiefly a interdisciplinary open-source toolkit created through a participatory approach with the MediaFutures consortium and the funded projects, which brings together insights and expertise from research, technology, professional training, (social) entrepreneurship, and the arts.