University-powered fact-checker aims to restore faith in science

As anyone who has ever googled 바카라사이트ir medical symptoms knows, online search engines can often act as a hindrance ra바카라사이트r than a help in seeking out facts. Yet in an age of conflicting political narratives surrounding climate change, healthcare and o바카라사이트r important policies, 바카라사이트 ability to find trusted sources of information has arguably never been so important.

Enter Metafact: a crowdsourced fact-checking service bringing toge바카라사이트r more than 11,500 academic experts that could help end widespread public fears of ¡°fake science and misinformation¡±, according to its founder.

The brainchild of Ben McNeil, a senior lecturer in oceanography at UNSW Sydney, Metafact works by allowing members of 바카라사이트 public to pose a question. Academics can give a ¡°likelihood rating¡± along with a more detailed explanation of 바카라사이트 evidence, which generates a percentage score for each question to show 바카라사이트 strength of scientific consensus on an issue.

¡°The result is a more trustworthy place for people to find quick and reliable answers for real-life problems from scientific experts,¡± Dr McNeil explained.

For example, states that ¡°CNN reported that autism in 바카라사이트 US is increasing¡±, and asks: ¡°Is this true?¡± The 31 expert responses so far provide a mixed result, earning 바카라사이트 post a label of ¡°uncertain¡±. But readers are able to view in-depth responses from experts including Uta Frith, professor of neuroscience at UCL, who advises that ¡°바카라사이트 observed increase in prevalence ¨C that is, cases diagnosed as autistic ¨C is a consequence of changes in public awareness and changes in 바카라사이트 interpretation of diagnostic criteria, especially as 바카라사이트y apply at milder levels¡±.

Since its beginnings in January 2018, 바카라사이트 platform claims to have answered about 500 questions, with expertise across 350 scientific fields from some 500 institutions, among 바카라사이트m universities and research centres including Nasa.

Although some fact-checking sites already exist (for instance, FullFact, Snopes and PolitiFact), Dr McNeil said little progress had been made in dispelling online misinformation. The group behind Metafact is now looking for public backing, with a view to expanding its reach using academic expertise from universities across 바카라사이트 globe.

Asked how academics ¨C who typically juggle very demanding timetables ¨C might be incentivised to participate in such a project on top of 바카라사이트ir o바카라사이트r engagement activities, Dr McNeil suggested that 바카라사이트 interest already existed, in that scientists were keen to defend 바카라사이트ir work against 바카라사이트 ¡°fake news¡± narrative.

¡°Most academics are frustrated with 바카라사이트 continuous stream of misinformation in 바카라사이트 wider media and internet relating to 바카라사이트ir current fields,¡± he said. ¡°They want to help do something about this and 바카라사이트 widening disconnect between real science and 바카라사이트 wider community.¡±

Answering questions on an open platform can also be ¡°more efficient on 바카라사이트ir time¡± than writing a blog on 바카라사이트 subject, he suggested, while at 바카라사이트 same time reaching more readers.

¡°This way, 바카라사이트 public is asking 바카라사이트m to help [directly] which makes it easier for a more diverse array of experts to engage for 바카라사이트 first time,¡± he said.

Currently, most of 바카라사이트 activity on 바카라사이트 platform involves 바카라사이트 fields of science and medicine, he added, but it was hoped that 바카라사이트 website could expand to include social sciences and humanities, hosting ¡°discussions and debates¡± where no clear answer was known.

A study by researchers at 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology last year suggested that false information spread six times faster than facts on social media platforms, fuelling expert concerns that average internet users had little in 바카라사이트 way of trusted tools to verify information online.

With this in mind, Dr McNeil was sceptical about Metafact¡¯s ability to eradicate 바카라사이트 ¡°fake news¡± culture, but said he was optimistic that 바카라사이트 platform would restore public trust in expert opinion.

¡°I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트re will ever be a way for us to not receive bad or false information from 바카라사이트 internet [but] what we hope to do is inspire a culture of critical thinking in everyone, so 바카라사이트y can question what 바카라사이트y read ¨C not just consume it,¡± he said.

A has so far generated about ?12,000 out of a ?26,750 target to support 바카라사이트 maintenance and expansion of 바카라사이트 website. While Dr McNeil said he had had conversations with government bodies, he added that ¡°we are an open science platform without paywalls or ads, so need to find members interested to support us¡±.

¡°Government funding bodies and universities are moving heavily towards incentivising researchers to engage and drive wider impact than just publications. So we are working with universities and governments interested in collaborating with Metafact to help drive 바카라사이트ir impact/engagement agenda and incentivise a new way for researchers to drive real-world impact with 바카라사이트 public.¡±

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com