04/24/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/24/2024 00:07
A group of academics from Royal Holloway have unveiled new guidance to help empower the public to make informed decisions amidst the fight against misinformation.
The Misinformation MOT is a comprehensive checklist designed to help people critically evaluate contentious content before accepting it as truth. This is fundamental in 2024, when more than four billion people globally are eligible to vote in the year of elections.
Universities are places to challenge, question and learn, and misinformation is making this a more challenging endeavour for students and citizens across the globe. The Misinformation MOT will equip everyone with the guidance necessary to discern fact from fake; helping to ensure everyone has access to accurate information to combat the spread of misinformation and promote a more informed society which is better prepared to utilise new AI technologies.
The Misinformation MOT emphasises that individuals must acknowledge and address their own biases, educate themselves on key subjects such as AI, engage in constructive debates within their communities, and verify the credibility of information sources. These practices collectively contribute to a deeper understanding of whether content is reliable or misinformed.
The Misinformation MOT
The Misinformation MOT has been developed by academics from the Schools of Law and Social Sciences, Business and Management, and Life Sciences and the Environment at Royal Holloway, University of London. The academics involved are:
This collective action aims to inspire other institutions and sectors to take proactive steps in this debate.
Given this year's focus on elections, it is crucial to arm voters with the tools needed to make informed decisions, which is what the Misinformation MOT will aim to do. As people search harder for the truth, it equips them with questions to prompt discussions and debates on what they're reading and hearing, so they can make factually informed decisions.
Professor Mark Fellowes, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Academic Strategy, Planning and Resources at Royal Holloway, said: "The Misinformation MOT allows for responsible and informed decision-making, whether making choices that change your future, or your day.
"At Royal Holloway, we understand misinformation is becoming an international and intergenerational issue: especially material that is AI-generated. As we work to create research that matters, we're glad our academics have collaborated across disciplines to produce this checklist to help equip the next generation with the skills to tackle the problems of tomorrow and uphold the credibility and scrutiny of information.
"We hope resources like our Misinformation MOT can give anyone more confidence in making choices and forming opinions - from voting in the next General Election to shopping on Black Friday."
The Misinformation MOT remains relevant in all manner of scenarios; from evaluating product reviews and advertisements during significant consumer spending periods, and assessing the trustworthiness of brands, to verifying the credibility of AI-generated content.
Royal Holloway is committed to unlocking interdisciplinary collaboration to achieve outcomes that matter to its students and society. The Misinformation MOT promotes a new, critical way of thinking for everyday decision-makers who are influenced by third parties, such as businesses, governments, or people.