How technology will challenge fake news and reviews in 2020

by Startacus Admin

Hollabox are all about helping people have better experiences in the real world. Their app aims to give you an inside look at the best experiences through video reviews, filmed by real people exploring your city.

With 'real' being the key theme here, we asked the Hollabox team to share their top predictions on how technology will challenge fake news and reviews in 2020...

" The internet is full of ‘fake’. Fake news, fake reviews, and celebrities boasting fake brand deals and sponsorships. Unfortunately, it’s always been easy for businesses to pretend to be something they’re not online. All it takes is a few paid-for reviews and strategically edited images, and you could make your product or establishment one of the most raved-about things on the internet. But don’t consumers deserve to know exactly what they’re spending their hand-earned money on? Thankfully, technology is catching up, and 2020 will hopefully mark the beginning of a more honest online culture. Here’s how technology and a move towards video could help:

Upgraded algorithms will silence bots

Social networks have faced scrutiny over fake news and fabricated stories in recent years. The Knight Foundation commissioned a study after the US presidential election to find out how bad things really are, and found more than 600 fake news sites. Since then, Twitter has stated it is upgrading technology to deal with bots posting bogus content, while Google said it would upgrade its algorithms to remove inauthentic content, after being accused of giving prominence to false news stories. It would seem that social media sites are as eager to clean up the internet as the rest of us.

Automation will help factcheck for journalists

Robotic automation is being explored in many industries. Some see it as a worrying step towards machines taking over jobs, but it could prove to be incredibly useful when it comes to automated fact checking. This isn’t a huge advance in AI, but the redistribution of current technology will put it in the hands of journalists who can use it for good. It’s a step in the right direction, and with Full Fact recently setting out their 3-year plan for machine learning to dramatically improve and scale fact checking, we could begin to see tools implemented soon.

Early warning systems will be put in place

In summer this year, the BBC brought together major publishers and global technology firms at their Trusted News Summit to discuss fake news. There, they laid out plans to implement early warning systems for use during elections or crises, which would allow organisations to quickly alert each other when disinformation arises that could threaten human life or disrupt democracy. They can then move rapidly and collectively to undermine disinformation before it takes hold.

Phoney product reviewers will struggle to evade detection

An investigation by Which? found a startling number of Amazon users were having their accounts hacked and fake reviews posted in their name - one reported as many as 2,500 fakes. Amazon are working hard to stop this, and have stated they are using a combo of investigation teams and automation to detect and remove inauthentic reviews at scale, and put greater emphasis on verified reviews. Amazon is undoubtedly the biggest online retailer in the world, so it’s important that they set the standard by tackling this head on.

Video will keep reviews authentic

TripAdvisor came under fire recently due to fake and paid-for reviews on their site, and their Review Transparency Report stated that of the 66 million reviews submitted in 2018, “only 2.1% were determined to be fraudulent.” This still results in a staggering 1,386,000 fake reviews that cast doubt over small businesses who have spent time collecting genuine feedback from customers.

Some platforms have begun to use video as a medium for reviewing, but Hollabox is at the forefront, allowing the next generation of reviewers to share experiences through location-based, unfiltered videos, and making it the most authentic review platform on the market. Their recently released API allows websites to plug in a widget that streams only authentic reviews from people actually having the experience. 

CEO Adam Beveridge states: “Our mission is to help people make better choices about how they spend their time. That starts with stamping out fake reviews. We offer a simple solution, empowering reviewers not just to tell people, but to show them.”

Hollabox offers compelling, actionable recommendations to those looking for places to go and things to do, all shared through immersive, bite-sized video reviews..

 

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Published on: 9th December 2019