Artificial intelligence and disinformation literacy programmes used by European fact-checkers

Abstract

Media literacy is a tool of prevention, which is useful in strengthening the resilience to disinformation. Artificial intelligence (hereinafter AI) offers solutions in the fight against fake news, but also implies ethical challenges regarding its use. This research explores the use of AI in Europe for verifying information, as well as the development of training programmes focused on AI literacy in relation to disinformation. To this end, the authors have used semi-structured interviews with verifiers who belong to the European Fact-Checking Standards Network. The results confirm that the literacy of fact-checkers is still in the nascent stages, and that the use of AI continues to evolve, especially around image verification. Although its implementation in newsrooms is quite common nowadays, there is still a lack of policies and principles needed in order to achieve a true symbiosis.