Abstract for: A System Design to Provide Trustworthiness Indicators for News on Social Networks

Social networks have become a major channel for access to news and journalistic articles, reinforcing risks related to misinformation and similar threats. Different strategies have been proposed, tested or implemented elsewhere, intending to mitigate these risks. This work-in-progress paper presents the case for a global system which dynamically adds quality marks (“stars”) to the news items shown on social networks feeds, enhancing the readers’ experience with regard to news trustworthiness. We reviewed previous initiatives related to the trustworthiness of news sources and items. The main stakeholders were identified. We used systems thinking methods to envision a nudge-based system; and its information repositories and data flows were designed at large to support a global and decentralized architecture. The system supports the coexistence of multiple rating agencies to provide trustworthiness evaluations in a standardized manner but also taking local values and culture into account. A conceptual blueprint and functional overview of the system have been developed. We are currently running surveys to estimate the eventual benefits and users’ interest in such a system. These initial surveys will be restricted in location and time, with limited significance for global projections. Future work might include the use of reputation scores for feedback purposes, but feedback loops are not defined yet. Data structures and interoperability protocols are to be set at later stages. The design and eventual implementation of a system to advise readers about the trustworthiness of news sources is a “wicked” problem, with volatile, complex and uncertain aspects. A global system should accommodate very different contexts while keeping a consistent structure and functionality. Such a system may help to reduce the risks of misinformation and could be implemented alongside other measures. System thinking helped to define the structure of the proposed system and to clarify its features.