FB has assembled a small army of fact-checkers for Indian polls. Too small on Business Standard. The world's largest democracy represents a key proving ground for Silicon Valley's battered disinformation amplifier

1. Business Standard
FB has assembled a small army of
fact-checkers for Indian polls. Too
small
The world's largest democracy represents a key proving ground for Silicon Valley's battered disinformation
amplifier

2. Election News
One of the operations most vital to Facebook Inc. at this moment is a world
away from its Menlo Park, Calif. headquarters, and in more ways than one.
Instead of the sprawling roof gardens and upscale cafes packed with Silicon
Valley’s latest health fads, this cramped Mumbai office has worn carpets and
fading walls lined with exposed electrical ducts.
This is Boom Live, one of seven tiny fact-checking firms at the heart of
Facebook’s efforts to rebuild some of its credibility during India’s elections.
The world’s largest democracy represents a key proving ground for Silicon
Valley’s battered disinformation amplifier. Based on the early tallies, more
than 60 percent of India’s 900 million eligible voters are expected to cast
ballots between now and May 19, as the center-left Congress Party tries to
seize power from the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party. As in other elections
around the world, paid hacks and party zealots are churning out propaganda
on Facebook and the company’s WhatsApp messenger, along with Twitter,
YouTube, TikTok, and other ubiquitous communication channels. Together
with Facebook’s automated filters, Boom’s 11 fact-checkers and its similar-
size fellow contractors are the front line of the social network’s shield
against this sludge.
“In a country largely driven by local and community news, we knew it was
critical to have fact-checking partners who could review content across
regions and languages,” Ajit Mohan, Facebook’s managing director and vice
president in India, wrote in a recent company blog post. He said the
assembled fact-checkers cover 8 of India’s 23 official languages and he’s
looking to add more.
The company, which declined to comment for this story, has said that
fighting misinformation on its service is a top priority, and that it hands such
critical responsibilities over to contractors to help it keep a better-informed
watch around the world at all hours. ..Read More