Research
In 2020, RMIT FactLab established a research collaboration with Prof. Falk Scholer and Dr. Damiano Spina from RMIT’s School of Computing Technologies, both key members of the university’s Research Centre for Information Discovery and Data Analytics (CIDDA). This multi-disciplinary research team combines the editorial knowledge of RMIT ABC Fact Check with the expertise in the field of information access and retrieval. It invites computer science students to collaborate in research into misinformation online and the development of tools to combat it.
The collective’s potential to conduct research is evidenced by the fact that both of its research projects were presented at international conferences in 2020. Watch 'n' Check, a social media monitoring tool developed as part of a Computer Science Master student’s thesis, was used to produce analytics published in the CoronaCheck newsletter. A paper detailing the research was presented at the IEEE 7th International Conference on Data Science and Advanced Analytics. ‘What do facts sound like?’, a workshop exploring the impact of voice-enabled virtual assistants driven by artificial intelligence on the discoverability of verified fact-check content, was presented by members of the group at Seventh Global Fact-Checking Summit in Oslo.
The team is currently working with Dr. Lauren Saling from RMIT’s School of Psychology to identify drivers of misinformation online. Using survey results from over 1500 CoronaCheck newsletter subscribers, the research seeks to identify any correlations that exist between participants’ willingness to share unverified information and willingness to have the COVID-19 vaccine and their stated belief in science and susceptibility to conspiracy theories.
RMIT ABC Fact Check and RMIT FactLab are partners with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making and Society. As such, RMIT FactLab is strategically placed to support students and researchers studying misinformation online and automated tools to monitor and counter its spread.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.
