Leveraging data insights to keep communities informed
WHO works with
several technology partners to obtain industry-leading insights that
help us identify burgeoning misinformation online. These insights allow WHO to
target science-based health information where it’s needed most and in languages
and formats audiences prefer to engage with.
Google
WHO works with Google Ads to identify rising search and misinformation queries on COVID-19 and uses Google consumer surveys to track how vaccine acceptance varies over time and between countries. The team is also testing health messages to track what key messages and topics resonate best for different target audiences. The preliminary results have already yielded actionable insights for WHO.
GWI
GWI, formerly GlobalWebIndex, is supporting WHO, among other organizations and companies globally, with leading consumer insights across 47 countries. Using a sample of 2 billion connected consumers worldwide, these insights shed light on consumer behaviour, attitudes and interests through a combination of survey data and analytics. Reports on the latest trends on COVID-19 and related topics can be found here.
The International Fact Checking Network (IFCN)
The IFCN at the Poynter Institute is the umbrella organization for fact-checkers around the world, connecting them with each other and resources to counter misinformation. WHO and IFCN are working together on linking their chatbots to enable users on both services to access credible information on COVID-19 and fact check information they come across online.
IFCN’s database of more than 10,000 fact checks on COVID-19 related misinformation serves as a resource for fact-checkers, journalists, researchers and users, and can be accessed here.
News Guard Technologies
WHO works with NewsGuard Technologies to receive the latest trends on misinformation topics and identify which websites and accounts are spreading it. NewsGuard is an internet trust company that deploys journalists, not algorithms, to fight misinformation by issuing trust ratings for thousands of news and information websites across Europe and the United States of America, and cataloguing the top misinformation narratives spreading online. NewsGuard also makes data on misinformation available as an electronic feed to relevant social media and search platforms. Reports are available here.