Title
: Combating COVID-19 Related Disinformation on Social Media: “Corona Fact Check”
Description
: The spread of misinformation in Bangladesh has reached an unprecedented level recently after the outbreak of COVID-19. To understand and address the issue, we have developed an integrated program of ethnographic and design-based work, “Corona Fact Check”. Our work incorporates four major components to move forward with the proposed solution. First, a free browser extension and API aiming to let the user check the difficult task of identifying and cataloging disinformation on social media platforms, giving them a clean and safe browsing environment. Second, we have a website that lists various disinformation and fake news for mass awareness, and where people can both enquire or self-report about any information if it is true or false. Third, we propose to deploy a messenger bot to keep people updated regularly with the trending disinformation floating online. It will also help them to verify any possible disinformation just with an easy messenger conversation with the bot. Fourth, and most importantly, to reach beyond the rich educated society (especially the low-literate population), we will disseminate the selected important news through voice SMS to them. We also intend to deploy an IVR-based system to let them verify any news/information only with a phone call.
