Google and PBS launch a media literacy program to combat misinformation
Over the beyond few years, Google has been seeking to restore its recognition as a supply for disinformation via way of means of launching more than one applications, specially the Google News Initiative (GNI). Now, the business enterprise has teamed with PBS Student Report Labs (SRL) and different journalism corporations on applications designed to reinforce media literacy for college students, educators and the public.
Google News Initiative and Student Report Labs are developing academic sources geared toward coaching younger human beings how to speak approximately incorrect information with older own circle of relatives individuals and friends. “Through storytelling and co-manufacturing with college students, we’ll discover the media literacy desires of various groups and generations, and the way they could connect to every different to locate solutions,” says SRL Founder Leah Clapman. As an example, GNI referenced an SRL YouTube video called “What does a college board do?” (below).
Google additionally teamed with the News Literacy Project (NLP), a nonpartisan countrywide training nonprofit, to once more offer media literacy training to college students, instructors and the public. Google ambitions to convey its “Newsroom to Classroom” initiative to greater newshounds and educators, supporting NLP enlarge it to regions in California, Colorado, Texas, Iowa and Nebraska, “locations hit specially tough via way of means of the decline in nearby news,” in step with Google.
Finally, Google News Initiative is increasing its Spanish language outreach via way of means of teaming with Poynter’s MediaWise venture targeted on college students and seniors. It’s becoming a member of forces with the group to translate their “How to Spot Misinformation Online” direction in Spanish and developing a text-primarily based totally model to be able to be introduced through SMS, “that is what number of seniors locate and percentage news,” the business enterprise wrote.
Google stated the efforts will bolster its current initiatives like Fact Check Explorer and “approximately this result” from Search. However, the business enterprise has an extended manner to visit assuage critics withinside the public and governments round the sector that it is beating the incorrect information that also plagues its numerous platforms.