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How Your Local Election Clerk Is Fighting Global Disinformation

Matt Vasilogambros

July 20, 2020 |

Stateline |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Many entities are working with social media companies to flag election-related disinformation. The California Secretary of State emails voters about how to report false information so the state can flag it and the Arizona Secretary of State verifies official accounts with social media companies. In the private sector, the startup VineSite uses artificial intelligence to identify and flag false information and the nonprofit Mitre has an app used by 160 election officials to report social media disinformation. Officials have a good relationship with social media companies, but there is room for improvement.

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'Black At' Instagram accounts put campus racism on display

Delece Smith-Barrow

July 06, 2020 |

The Hechinger Report |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Students at colleges across the U.S. are taking to social media to confront racism and biases at their campuses. Over 40 "Black at" Instagram accounts were launched in June on which students share their personal stories of racism on campus, educate interested parties through reading lists, and share resources for those wanting to confront their biases and be actively antiracist. Many of the accounts have garnered large followings, and some have even raised thousands of dollars to support defense funds and community centers.

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The problem with Facebook's plan to sign up 4 million voters

Alex Pasternack

July 03, 2020 |

FastCompany |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

In the past decade, Facebook's US voter engagement campaigns included registration and election-day reminders for its 61 million 18+ users and sharing friends’ voting behavior. One study attributes hundreds of thousands of more votes to these election campaigns, with friends’ voting behavior the strongest influencer. The California Secretary of State credits the 4th highest voter registration daily total to Facebook’s same day reminder. Criticisms include not releasing data for independent review and negative aspects of its influence like potential liberal biases and the 2016 Russian disinformation campaign.

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WhatsApp for Social Good: How Nigerians used the platform to show care during the COVID-19 lockdown

Chibuike Alagboso

June 30, 2020 |

Nigeria Health Watch |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Nigeria

Communities in Nigeria have been using WhatsApp to manage isolation and help provide support to their fellow residents during the coronavirus pandemic. In many instances organizations and individuals are helping to raise and provide funds to those who are experiencing financial hardship.

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How countries without governments are relying on WhatsApp to tackle COVID-19

Ian Wylie

June 29, 2020 |

Apolitical |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Syria

Digital platforms allow Syrian doctors living abroad to assist over-burdened local doctors deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. Conflict has severely limited Syria's health services, so NGOs use online platforms like Zoom and WhatsApp to allow Syrian doctors abroad to provide consultations, deliver trainings, and share resources - including a daily forum for local doctors to get second opinions on cases. Thousands of volunteers have joined and organizers think this model can work in other conflict areas if local agents are engaged, they have the trust of the population, and there is the technical capacity.

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How Facebook is using AI to boost blood donation

Faustine Ngila

June 25, 2020 |

Nation Africa |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Kenya

A partnership between Facebook and the Ministry of Health in Kenya has helped connect blood banks with blood donors. The process uses artificial intelligence and geo-location data to notify Facebook users who have signed up as blood donors when blood banks in their area are in need of donations.

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How 12 Teens Who'd Never Met Before Organized Honolulu's Black Lives Matter Protest

Suevon Lee

June 22, 2020 |

Honolulu Civil Beat |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Honolulu, Hawaii

Twelve Honolulu high school students, who had only ever met online, used social media to organize a Black Lives Matter protest that drew over 10,000 people. The teens used online forums to communicate about their goals for the protest and also to provide details to the public regarding the march's route, reminders to wear masks, remain peaceful, and abide by city laws. The teens also enlisted the support of established organizations to provide volunteers and bring hand sanitizer, water bottles, face masks, and bullhorns. The result was an entirely peaceful and emotionally stirring protest march and rally.

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A Job for Elves

Gil Skorwid

June 09, 2020 |

Are We Europe |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Lithuania

The coronavirus pandemic has invigorated organizations working in the Baltics to counter disinformation, particularly from Russia, by flagging suspicious accounts, fake news, and hate speech. For example, Covid-19 led hundreds of Lithuanian medics to a group called the Elves to flag disinformation about the virus and related government responses. The groups partner with and receive funding from local and international sources, including Facebook and the Google News Innovation Fund. Some question whether highlighting stories, websites, and user accounts as fake might actually help to disseminate them further.

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Small farms diversity to survive COVID-19, changing the face of Detroit markets

Kate Roff

June 05, 2020 |

edibleWOW |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

During the COVID-19 pandemic, small farmers in Michigan are coming up with different business models in order to get their produce into consumers’ hands. Fisheye Farms in Detroit created a community-supported agriculture, or CSA, subscription program. However, the program is only meeting approximately one-third of its necessary finances, and they hope to find a balance with other offerings. Argus Farm Stop in Ann Arbor quickly turned their online store into a popular digital farmers market, increasing its customers from eight to 2,500.

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Direct-selling helps Indian farmers swerve food waste under lockdown

Mary-Rose Abraham

May 27, 2020 |

Deutsche Welle (DW) |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Bengaluru, Karnataka

As the spread of COVID-19 forced residents of Bengaluru into lockdown, farmers had to get creative to sell their goods and turned to social media channels to directly connect to consumers. For example, the Farm to Fork Bangalore Facebook page allowed a grape grower to sell about 400 kilograms of his crops that otherwise would have gone to waste. While direct-selling can be challenging for those who are not in urban centers, many farmers are rethinking their business models.

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