crowdsourced fact checking

@lizhenry - [email protected]

OSCE Internet 2013

Crowdsourced Fact Checking

mailto:[email protected]


Hello!

● Writer and blogger, also developer● Here because of my role in the Gay Girl in

Damascus story in 2011



Blogger in trouble!!



To the blogmobile!!!



#FREEAMINA



Problems

● No one has met her in person● No word from family● No reason for the cousin to lie● No confirmation of Amina's existence anywhere● As the day continues, news cycle does not

behave normally



Collaborative Investigation

● Investigation by me, many bloggers and commenters on my blog (dozens)

● Andy Carvin's readers on Twitter (thousands)● Google Docs● Social network friending all around; we all

examined each other's communication patterns, internet footprints, and identities

● Good journalism by Washington Post (Melissa Bell, Liz Flock)



Meet “Amina” and “Paula”



Sockpuppets

● Argue with yourself

● Agree with yourself

● You become more important!



Online writers have a long history

● Network of early bloggers, Usenet, mailing lists● Textual relationships – important to writers● Flamewars, trolling, drama, gossip, information

spread● Situate this in historical & literary context.

Broadsheets, letters.



Political Sockpuppets

● Around 2005 I started talking about the political use of sockpuppets

● Like deep cover agents, but online; personas must establish convincing broad footprints

● Some validation of this idea: 2010 HBGary hack by Anonymous revealed government project for persona management software



Hoaxes and fiction

● Sockpuppets● Astroturfing● Pseudonymity / Anonymity● People's stories are not their wallet IDs.● People want to believe what makes a good

story. ● Can be benign. Can be Munchausen by

Internet.



Astroturfing from 2008

● Astroturfing example● PUMAPAC● Fake community of former supporters of Hillary

Clinton, angry at Obama winning 2008 Democratic primaries, turned Republican.

● Look at patterns. Time of posting. Language style. Names.



Technological Tools for Collaboration

● Tools are important!● Etherpad, wikis, Google Docs● Screengrabs. Datestamp everything● Archiving entire blog/site with comments● Maltego was useful for intelligence work, but

not enough● We often used Skype to at least confirm some

level of “truth” for our identities.



Learn from experts

● Marginalized communities know a lot.● Dissidents, activists, hackers● GLBT people, who try to avoid haters● Experts in domestic violence and stalking● Cultural creators hiding from copyright law● Disabled people, cancer survivors, experienced

with Munchausen-by-Internet perpetrators● Vulnerabilities result in community strength.



Important fact about liars

● When you get the hoaxer's confession . . . ● Do not believe them● Over and over, journalists make this mistake● The story will mutate● Fabulists can keep spinning the story 1001

ways, forever.
