Report says crowd-sourced fact checks on X fail to address flood of US election misinformation

Report says crowd-sourced fact checks on X fail to address flood of US election misinformation
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Updated 31 October 2024
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Report says crowd-sourced fact checks on X fail to address flood of US election misinformation

Report says crowd-sourced fact checks on X fail to address flood of US election misinformation

SAN FRANCISCO, California: X’s crowd-sourced fact-checking program, called Community Notes, isn’t addressing the flood of US election misinformation on Elon Musk’s social media platform, according to a report published Wednesday by a group that tracks online speech.
The nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate analyzed the Community Notes feature and found that accurate notes correcting false and misleading claims about the US elections were not displayed on 209 out of a sample of 283 posts deemed misleading — or 74 percent.
Misleading posts that did not display Community Notes even when they were available included false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and that voting systems are unreliable, CCDH said.




From a page of the "Rated Note Helpful" report of the Center for Countering Digital Hate

In the cases where Community Notes were displayed, the original misleading posts received 13 times more views than their accompanying notes, the group added.
Community Notes lets X users write fact checks on posts after the users are accepted as contributors to the program. The checks are then rated by other users based on their accuracy, sources, how easily they are to understand, and whether they use neutral language. The program was launched in 2021 by the previous leadership of the site — then known as Twitter — and was called Birdwatch. Musk renamed it Community Notes after he took over the site in 2022.




Formerly known as Birdwatch under the old Twitter, the program was renamed Community Notes after Elon Musk took over the popular social media platform in 2022 and renamed it X. (Image courtesy of X)

Last year, X sued CCDH, blaming the group for the loss of “tens of millions of dollars” in advertising revenue after it documented an increase in hate speech on the site. The lawsuit was dismissed by a federal judge in March.
Keith Coleman, a vice president of product at X who oversees Community Notes, said in a statement that the program “maintains a high bar to make notes effective and maintain trust across perspectives, and thousands of election and politics related notes have cleared that bar in 2024. In the last month alone, hundreds of such notes have been shown on thousands of posts and have been seen tens of millions of times. It is because of their quality that notes are so effective.”
San Francisco-based X also pointed to external academic research that has shown Community Notes to be trustworthy and effective.
Imran Ahmed, the CEO of CCDH, however, said the group’s research “suggests that X’s Community Notes are little more than a Band Aid on a torrent of hate and disinformation that undermines our democracy and further polarizes our communities.”


Saudi Journalists Association approves draft regulations for Journalists Support Fund

Saudi Journalists Association approves draft regulations for Journalists Support Fund
Updated 05 December 2024
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Saudi Journalists Association approves draft regulations for Journalists Support Fund

Saudi Journalists Association approves draft regulations for Journalists Support Fund
  • The regulations approved at the meeting — chaired by Adhwan Al-Ahmari — aimed at providing various services and support to fellow journalists across the Kingdom

RIYADH: The board of directors of the Saudi Journalists Association approved draft regulations for the Journalists Support Fund as well as discussed other topics during its meeting on Wednesday.

The regulations approved at the meeting — chaired by Adhwan Al-Ahmari — aimed at providing various services and support to fellow journalists across the Kingdom. The board also adopted a comprehensive strategy for the SJA’s work on different levels for the next three years.

Other items discussed were the approval of the Human Capital Development Initiative, proposed by the chairman in collaboration with several entities. In the context of expanding the SJA’s activities, the board also approved the opening of a new branch in Jeddah.

Additionally, the board approved a plan to invest the association’s assets into some parts of the main building in Riyadh, and authorized the Investment and Resource Development Committee to oversee the implementation.

Members also reviewed the performance and review report of various committees’ activities during the past period and commended the efforts made, emphasizing the importance of enhancing quality programs and activities that meet current needs.

The meeting reaffirmed the association’s commitment to continuing to develop performance and enhance its role in supporting journalists, keeping up with changes in the media sector, and serving the interests of the journalistic community.


Syrian photographer for German news agency DPA killed near Syria’s Hama

Mourners and colleagues surround the body of Syrian photojournalist Anas Alkharboutli, during his funeral in Syria's northern ci
Mourners and colleagues surround the body of Syrian photojournalist Anas Alkharboutli, during his funeral in Syria's northern ci
Updated 04 December 2024
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Syrian photographer for German news agency DPA killed near Syria’s Hama

Mourners and colleagues surround the body of Syrian photojournalist Anas Alkharboutli, during his funeral in Syria's northern ci
  • Anas Alkharboutli, who worked for German press agency DPA, was killed in an air strike near Hama

BEIRUT: Award-winning Syrian photographer Anas Alkharboutli, who worked for German press agency DPA, was killed Wednesday in an air strike near the Syrian city of Hama, his employer said.
“Our photographer Anas Alkharboutli, who documented the civil war in Syria in a unique visual language, has been killed in an air strike near the Syrian city of Hama. Anas was just 32 years old,” DPA said in a statement.
“All of us at DPA are in shock and deeply saddened by the death of Anas Alkharboutli,” editor-in-chief Sven Goesmann said in the statement.
“With his pictures, he not only documented the horrors of war, but always worked for the truth. Anas remains a role model for our work,” he added.
Islamist-led rebels last week launched a massive offensive in northern Syria, taking second city Aleppo from government control and advancing on the central city of Hama, with fierce clashes reported between the fighters and the army.
Ali Hajj Sleiman, a journalist who was with Alkharboutli, told AFP that they had seen aircraft overhead in the Morek area near Hama, where they and other colleagues had regrouped.
“We heard a very loud noise and started running, then the blast threw me to the ground,” he said.
After the strike, “I found Anas lying in his own blood... He had lost both his legs... He died in the ambulance before arriving at the hospital.”
Alkharboutli began working as a photojournalist in 2015 and joined DPA two years later, the agency said.
He received the Young Reporter Trophy of France’s prestigious Bayeux Award for war reporting in 2020, and won the sports category for the 2021 Sony World Photography Awards.
He was laid to rest in the rebel-held northwestern city of Idlib.
Authorities in the rebel enclave say three other journalists from the area have been killed since the offensive began last week.
War monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Wednesday the death toll in eight days of fighting had risen to 704, including 110 civilians.


Saudi Media Academy celebrates graduation of first trainees

Saudi Media Academy celebrates graduation of first trainees
Updated 02 December 2024
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Saudi Media Academy celebrates graduation of first trainees

Saudi Media Academy celebrates graduation of first trainees
  • Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary: This first cohort of electronic program graduates marks a step toward empowering national staff to face the challenges of modern media
  • Ceremony also featured the launch of the in-person global programs track in collaboration with international universities

RIYADH: The Saudi Media Academy recently celebrated the graduation of its first cohort of trainees from the electronic programs track at Misk City in Riyadh.

The event was attended by the assistant minister of media and the academy’s chairman, Abdullah Al-Maghlooth, along with other board members.

Al-Maghlooth highlighted the support and directives of Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary, aimed at enhancing training outcomes and developing human resources to drive the future of media in the Kingdom. He commended the academy’s efforts in reaching the milestone.

“Today, we celebrate the success of the nation’s youth, who represent a group of contributors to the future of Saudi media,” he said.

“This first cohort of electronic program graduates marks a step toward empowering national staff to face the challenges of modern media and shape a more innovative future.”

Academy CEO Khalid Al-Abideen thanked Al-Dossary and Al-Maghlooth for their continuous support, which has enabled the academy to offer high-quality programs and contribute to building a dynamic media sector that aligns with global trends.

The ceremony also featured the launch of the in-person global programs track in collaboration with international universities. The program aims to develop leadership and technical skills for media professionals in line with Vision 2030.

Additionally, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the academy and the General Authority of Media Regulation to collaborate on qualifying media professionals, developing joint training programs and sharing expertise to improve sector regulation.

The academy also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Mantiq Al-Najah Consulting Co. to enhance training in the sports media sector, focusing on artificial intelligence technologies in sports media.


Google Doodle commemorates 53rd UAE National Day

Google Doodle commemorates 53rd UAE National Day
Updated 02 December 2024
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Google Doodle commemorates 53rd UAE National Day

Google Doodle commemorates 53rd UAE National Day

DUBAI: Google is commemorating the UAE’s 53rd National Day, also known as Eid Al-Etihad, with its latest Doodle marking the Emirate’s foundation day.

On this day in 1971, the leaders of Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah and Umm Al-Quwain agreed to unite and established the UAE as an independent nation. The seventh emirate, Ras Al-Khaimah, joined the federation shortly after in 1972.

Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan became the first President of the UAE until he died in 2004.

The UAE Government has declared Dec. 2 and 3 as paid holidays for employees in both private and public sectors, with activities and celebrations lined up to celebration occasion.

Among the widely anticipated events include fireworks displays – particularly in Abu Dhabi and Dubai – as well as grand parades in each of the emirates.

The ongoing Sheikh Zayed Festival in Abu Dhabi’s Al-Wathba showcases three days of fireworks and drone shows, aside from a series of heritage show by the Eid Al-Etihad Caravan featuring camels adorned with the UAE flag and folk performances, highlighting the nation’s cultural pride.

This year’s grand ceremony will be held in Al Ain, and attended by the country’s rulers, it will be livestreamed on www.eidaletihad.ae on Dec. 2.


China court jails journalist for seven years on spy charges, family says

China court jails journalist for seven years on spy charges, family says
Updated 29 November 2024
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China court jails journalist for seven years on spy charges, family says

China court jails journalist for seven years on spy charges, family says
  • Police in the Chinese capital detained veteran Chinese state media journalist Dong Yuyu in February 2022
  • ‘Sentencing Yuyu to seven years in prison on no evidence declares to the world the bankruptcy of the justice system in China’

BEIJING/HONG KONG: A Beijing court sentenced veteran Chinese state media journalist Dong Yuyu on Friday to seven years in prison for espionage, his family said in a statement, calling the verdict a grave injustice.
Police in the Chinese capital detained the 62-year-old former Guangming Daily editor and journalist in February 2022 while he was lunching with a Japanese diplomat, the US National Press Club said in a statement. He was later charged with espionage.
“Sentencing Yuyu to seven years in prison on no evidence declares to the world the bankruptcy of the justice system in China,” Dong’s family said in a statement provided to Reuters.
“Today’s verdict is a grave injustice not only to Yuyu and his family but also to every freethinking Chinese journalist and every ordinary Chinese committed to friendly engagement with the world.”
The family added that in the court judgment, Japanese diplomats whom Dong met were “specifically named as agents of an ‘espionage organization,’ which is the Japanese embassy in Beijing.”
Dong’s conviction implied every Chinese citizen would be “expected to know that the Chinese government may consider those embassies to be ‘espionage organizations’,” it said, causing a chilling effect.
Police guarded the court on Friday, with seven police cars parked nearby, and journalists were asked to leave the area. A US diplomat said they had been barred from attending the hearing.
Dong has been detained in a Beijing prison since a closed-court hearing in July 2023, the press club said in September.
“Chinese authorities must reverse this unjust verdict, and protect the right of journalists to work freely and safely in China,” said Beh Lih Yi, Asia program manager at the Committee to Protect Journalists.
“Dong Yuyu should be reunited with his family immediately.”
Dong regularly had in-person exchanges with diplomats from various embassies and journalists.
The Japanese diplomat he met, one of two he had regularly met in the past, was also detained for several hours, spurring a complaint from Japan’s foreign ministry.
At the time, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the diplomat was engaged in activities “inconsistent with their capacity” in China. The diplomat was later released.
A Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 2007, Dong was a visiting scholar and visiting professor at Keio University and Hokkaido University in Japan, his family said in a statement in April 2023.
He joined the Guangming Daily, affiliated to the ruling Communist Party, in 1987, after graduating from Peking University law school, and was the deputy editor of its commentary section.
He wrote opinion articles in Chinese media and liberal academic journals on topics from legal reforms to social issues, and co-edited a book promoting the rule of law in China.
His articles advocated moderate reforms while avoiding direct criticism of President Xi Jinping.
His family had initially kept news of his detention private in the hope that charges could be reduced or dropped, but were told in March 2023 that he would stand trial, they said in their statement.
Non-government bodies (NGOs) advocating press freedom have called for his release, with more than 700 journalists, academics and NGO workers signing an online petition for him to be freed.
“Dong Yuyu is a talented reporter and author whose work has long been respected by colleagues,” said Ann Marie Lipinski, curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard.
“We stand with many in hoping for his release and return to his family.”
In February, a Beijing court handed a suspended death sentence to Australian writer and pro-democracy blogger, Yang Hengjun, on espionage charges.