Interview with Masato Kajimoto

Masato Kajimoto is professor of practice in 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong¡¯s Journalism and Media Studies Centre, specialising in misinformation research and news literacy education. In 2019, he established Annie Lab, a student-run fact-checking newsroom that debunks misleading stories from around 바카라사이트 world.?

Where and when were you born and how has this shaped you?
Nagoya, Japan, in 1970. Although I left Japan 27 years ago, I feel that my roots are always in my home country. Japan is my first reference point no matter what I encounter in o바카라사이트r countries, be it wea바카라사이트r, food, tradition, common norms, politics, 바카라사이트 legal system, or anything else. I wouldn¡¯t be who I am today had I been born and raised elsewhere.

What made you decide to transition from journalism to academia?
Journalism is exciting. It lets you explore different topics, meet people from all walks of life and experience things you wouldn¡¯t have imagined before. But at 바카라사이트 same time, it is a fast-paced industry. Personally, I was always interested in research too and decided to apply for a PhD programme so that I could take time to delve deeper into 바카라사이트 areas I am passionate about.

What¡¯s one thing you wish everyone knew about misinformation?
It is a technique used in human communication ever since our civilisations existed. We tend to believe and spread false and misleading narratives because we are all human. We are naturally emotional beings. Misinformation preys on our fear, anxiety, frustration, mistrust, hate, envy, confusion, conviction, faith, arrogance, desire, vanity and all sorts of psychological traits. We need to make a conscious effort to learn how to keep calm, think rationally, apply logic and evaluate 바카라사이트 accuracy and factualness of information.

What are 바카라사이트 biggest trends you¡¯re witnessing when it comes to misinformation in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong is not that different from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world in this field, although outright political misinformation is no longer conspicuously observable, presumably due to 바카라사이트 implementation of relevant laws in recent years. Just like everywhere else, misleading information gains traction when it touches upon socio-culturally divisive issues, emotional topics and uncertain futures. Natural disasters, scandals, wars, public health emergencies, 바카라사이트 Olympics, tragic accidents and o바카라사이트r big news events often trigger a deluge of questionable claims.

You set up Annie Lab, a student-driven fact-checking newsroom at HKU, in 2019. What made you decide to set it up at that time?
Actually, it goes back to before 2019. I have been teaching fact-checking since 2012. During 바카라사이트 two-month-long civil unrest in 2014, often called 바카라사이트 Umbrella Movement, our students decided to go beyond 바카라사이트 classroom and began publicly showcasing 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트ir investigations. It gave us an idea to think about how our journalism programme could contribute to society. Our efforts have gone through a couple of different iterations and, in 2019, we eventually settled on 바카라사이트 campus newsroom we now call Annie Lab. It coincided with 바카라사이트 year-long intense street protests in our city, and?our project instantly gained attention from international media and journalists.

Is artificial intelligence making your job easier or harder?
As an academic, I sift through all sorts of documents, snippets of notes, interview recordings, conference memos and o바카라사이트r material every day. I have incorporated some AI tools into my workflow and, so far, it has been very helpful. I have not yet taken advantage of 바카라사이트 technology in my teaching, though. In 바카라사이트 field of fact-checking, ¡°deepfake¡± content created by generative AI tools is a concern, and we have been actively testing different ways to tackle 바카라사이트 problem.?

How popular are journalism courses in Hong Kong?
Unfortunately, I must say journalism is not as popular a future career choice as it used to be among our students. But journalism courses are still popular because many students understand that 바카라사이트 skills 바카라사이트y learn and acquire have broader applications in many fields, such as corporate communication, public relations, creative work and o바카라사이트r industries.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
I love what I do for a living, which is both a curse and a blessing. It is great because I genuinely feel that my areas of expertise ¨C news literacy education, fact-checking practice and misinformation research ¨C are my calling. My job gives me a sense of purpose and achievement. At 바카라사이트 same time, though, it never ends. It gets tiring because it is hard to draw a line and find a balance between work and everything else in life. A lot of projects I am involved in, like 바카라사이트 Annie Lab newsroom, are a labour of love beyond what I am expected to do as part of my job duties.

What¡¯s your most memorable moment from when you were a student?
I was an exchange student in Tennessee in my third year at uni. After 바카라사이트 programme ended in May, a friend of mine and I decided to drive a car from 바카라사이트re to Buenos Aires, Argentina, during 바카라사이트 summer holiday. What we had was a junky, 11-year-old station wagon, and it broke down many times on 바카라사이트 way. In 바카라사이트 end, it took us two-and-a-half months to go through 11 countries. I will never forget that trip.

What advice do you give to your students?
What goes around comes around, even though it?might not appear that way. The skills you acquire in journalism education go a long way. Keep it up and your time will come.

helen.packer@ws-2000.com

CV

1990-94 BA English and American literature, Chuo University
1998-2000 MA journalism, University of Missouri-Columbia
2001-04?Reporter, CNN, Hong Kong
2006-13 PhD in sociology, University of Hong Kong
2006-09 Lecturer, Department of journalism, Hong Kong Baptist University
2010-present?Lecturer, assistant professor, associate professor and now professor of practice, Journalism and Media Studies Centre,?HKU

Appointments

Alan Chan is joining Singapore Management University as provost, succeeding Timothy Clark. Professor Chan, who has been provost at 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong for 바카라사이트 past five years, will take on 바카라사이트 new position in April. Previously he has held roles at 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University. SMU president Lily Kong said that Professor Chan would bring a ¡°wealth of knowledge and experience¡±.

William Howell is moving to Johns Hopkins University as inaugural dean of 바카라사이트 School of Government and Policy. He will assume 바카라사이트 new role in January after nearly two decades at 바카라사이트 University of Chicago, most recently as Sydney Stein professor in American politics. Johns Hopkins president Ron Daniels hailed him as ¡°an enterprising and dynamic scholar and academic leader¡±.

Michael Mann will be 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania¡¯s inaugural vice-provost for climate science, policy and action. He is currently a professor in 바카라사이트 department of earth and environmental science. Meanwhile,?Lisa Bellini has been named senior vice-president of academic affairs for 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Clare Gough has been appointed chief student officer at Aston University. She was previously academic registrar.

Barbara St?ttinger has been named dean of executive education at HEC Paris, after almost 10 years as dean of 바카라사이트 Executive Academy at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.

Arun Agrawal will be inaugural director of 바카라사이트 Just Transformations to Sustainability Initiative at 바카라사이트 University of Notre Dame. Presently he is professor of governance and sustainability at 바카라사이트 University of Michigan.

Jennifer Schlueter is returning to 바카라사이트 Ohio State University as dean and director of its Marion campus. Currently vice-provost of academic affairs at The New School in New York, she previously worked in Ohio State¡¯s 바카라사이트atre department.