Initiative is led by DataLEADS in collaboration with the Misinformation Combat Alliance and other fact-checkers, and supported by the Google News Initiative (GNI)
Google has collaborated with ‘Shakti’, India Election Fact-Checking Collective ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, to tackle the spread of deep fakes. This initiative brings together news publishers and fact-checkers from across India to counter the circulation of misinformation.
The main focus of the project is to encourage collaboration among independent fact-checkers and Indian language publishers. It provides a platform for sharing fact checks, research materials, and alerts regarding viral misinformation and deep fakes related to elections.
Through partnerships with news publishers, the initiative aims to amplify fact checks in various Indian languages and formats, including videos. This ensures that fact-checked information reaches a diverse range of language users and audiences across the country.
Led by DataLEADS in collaboration with the Misinformation Combat Alliance and other fact-checkers, and supported by the Google News Initiative (GNI), the ‘Shakti’ project also includes training for news organisations and fact-checkers in advanced fact-checking techniques and deepfake detection. It also introduces tools like the Fact Check Explorer.
Google emphasised the importance of prioritising publishers who produce original news content in languages such as Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, and Marathi within the Fact-Checking Collective.
Bharat Gupta, President of the Misinformation Combat Alliance (MCA), stressed the crucial need to empower people with trustworthy information in today’s digital age. “In an era where digital information spreads rapidly, the need to empower people with trustworthy and credible information has never been more critical,” said Gupta.
Google also highlighted its ongoing efforts since 2018 to support journalists, media educators, and journalism students worldwide. They have trained over 65,000 individuals in more than 15 languages, equipping them with digital tools and skills to navigate the challenges of misinformation while delivering accurate stories.
