Can AI And Blockchain Combine Forces To Control Fake News?

Fake news is an epidemic that no one quite knows how to deal with. It is only via the use of technology, that we can even hope to fight it. So can a combination of two advanced technologies like AI and Blockchain do the trick?

Well, it’s definitely a start.

How many times have you read on the internet that Rowan Atkinson has passed away and started howling, just to find out minutes later that it’s a hoax? I know I have.

The problem with fake news is that it is everywhere, and people are too gullible on the internet. Nobody has the time to verify the credibility or the source of a particular piece of news that they read online.

Trump has solved the dire situation of employment single handedly in America? Sure, let’s believe that.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have reconciled and are adopting another baby? Why not, sounds like something they would do.

That’s what concerns me at the moment, people will believe anything on the internet these days and there is virtually no more fact checking or followup on that news.

Now that the problem is serious enough to impact important events like the results of a country’s elections, it’s become imperative to control and eliminate fake news.

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Can AI and Blockchain Become Batman And Robin To Fight Fake News?

Let’s trace the root of the problem to figure out if AI and Blockchain is the required combination needed to control fake news.

Now the internet is full of false articles and facts, there are millions of them on social media and it is practically impossible for any organization to weed out all fake content from their platform. Relying solely on human fact-checkers is not a viable option anymore.

So what’s the solution here? I say that we nip it in the bud instead of trying to cut down a full grown tree. Instead of trying to fact check a news piece to ensure its authenticity, we should verify the credibility of the source.

Google APAC CMO Simon Kahn in his talk at the British chamber of commerce said:

“The issue that everyone in the industry is very focused on is how to curb it while still allowing people to have open information and networks. … One way of tackling it is looking at sites that are purveyors of fake news and basically stopping advertising — cutting off oxygen so that they aren’t making money off it.”

What is that one technology that can verify and trace the source of an object? That’s right, blockchain technology. It can be put to use to identify and weed out the stories that are coming from designated false sources.

It is an open distributed ledger that is accessible by the public and is completely transparent. People can see if certain source has been designated as a purveyor of false news.

Several organizations are also experimenting with the use of AI to detect malware, false stories, nudity, and a plethora of other types of problematic content. The AI algorithm is such that it helps platforms detect the kind of content that’s undesirable on the platform.

Thus it is truly possible to combine the two technologies and create a safe space for people to air their opinions and read other people’s opinions, without falling into the trap of fake news.

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