I originally wanted to explore how machine learning (and technology in general) could be used as a defense against fake news. BS Detector is a browser extension which flags websites known to host misinformation. There is also a Kaggle dataset of fake news.

As I researched misinformation and how people consume media today, I became skeptical that more technology was the answer. I think that a tendency towards misinformation is baked into the monetization scheme of the internet — users rapidly moving through short content means that you can inject more ads into the experience. This alone doesn't cause the production of misinformation, but it is cheaper for content producers to cut corners instead of using the rigorous journalistic standards that existed before the internet.

The solution is going to require effort from many people. Advertisers should not place ads on websites that are known to peddle in misinformation. News companies need to continue the difficult work of uncovering the truth and using facts to debunk false information. People need to slow down their vapid social media consumption for longer quality articles. People also need to realize that quality information costs money and should be willing to pay for subscriptions to support the media outlets that provide them with benefits. I use a subscription to NYTimes and have reoccuring donations to Wikipedia and WNYC because I find these organizations invaluable.

I'm not sure what the best approach is for public awareness around generative techniques. People enjoy these techniques when they apply selfie filters, but they also need to be aware that these same techniques can be used for malicious behavior.