Following the successful experiments conducted by Cambridge University, Google intends to provide advertisements that teach consumers about techniques used in false information.
Google Jigsaw which addresses threats to online security, will appear on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube. Researchers have found that it helped users recognize manipulative content better.
To counter false information about Ukrainian refugees, they will be broadcasted in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
The study’s foundation is a growing field of research called “prebunking,” which looks at how misinformation can be disproved by demonstrating how it operates to individuals before they are exposed to it.
In the experiment, 22,000 of the 5.4 million viewers who saw the adverts were surveyed.
Following viewing the explanation films, researchers discovered:
- An increase in respondents’ awareness of misinformation tactics
- A better ability to determine whether or not to share content
- Improved ability to distinguish trustworthy from untrustworthy content.
The peer-reviewed study, which will be released in the journal Science Advances, was carried out in collaboration with Google, which controls YouTube.
The findings were deemed “interesting” by Beth Goldberg, head of research and development at Google Jigsaw.
