Meta and the Misinformation Combat Alliance (MCA) announced on Monday they will soon launch a dedicated fact-checking helpline on WhatsApp to fight deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation. The helpline will be available to the general public sometime next month and will identify media generated using artificial intelligence. Meta said it will also help people on the platform connect with credible and verified information. Backed by Misinformation Combat Alliance and an associated network of independent fact-checkers and research organisations, the initiative will allow people to flag deepfakes by sending them to the dedicated WhatsApp chatbot, which supports English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The organisation said the messages sent by users will be forwarded to fact-checkers, industry partners, and digital labs who will assess and verify the content and debunk if the information is true or fabricated. Meta and the Misinformation Combat Alliance said the programme has a "four-pillar approach – detection, prevention, reporting and driving awareness around the escalating spread of deepfakes along with building a critical instrument that allows citizens to access reliable information to fight the spread of such misinformation”. While Meta seems to be working on the chatbot, the Misinformation Combat Alliance is working on setting up a central 'deepfake analysis unit' that will help them manage all the incoming messages they get on the helpline. The tech giant said it partnered with 11 independent fact-checking organisations to identify, verify, and review misinformation on the platform. In the last few years, WhatsApp has been a hotbed of misinformation, with people often spreading fake news by forwarding messages sent by others. While Meta has tried to crack down on the problem by introducing measures like limiting forwards and deactivating fake accounts, the tech giant hasn't been able to completely stop the misinformation spread on the platform.
