Amid rumours, Google has launched a global open fund to fight misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, worth up to $3 million.
Millions of people around the globe have reacted to the COVID-19 vaccine. This has led to dissemination of false information, however, as a fighter of the pandemic, Google has launched a programme worth millions to help researchers with fact-checking.
The “COVID-19 Vaccine Counter Misinformation Open Fund” aims to support journalistic efforts to effectively fact-check misinformation about the COVID-19 immunisation process.
“While the COVID-19 info-demic has been global in nature, misinformation has also been used to target specific populations,” said Google.
“Some of the available research also suggests that the audiences coming across misinformation and those seeking fact checks don’t necessarily overlap,” added Google.
Google has also added that the fund will accept projects looking to research more about the COVID-19 vaccine. With the fund, the audience may also check on facts particularly to groups disproportionately hit by misinformation.
The World Health Organisation, media, medical and non-profit sectors and 14 jurors from across the academic have been said to review the applications brought forth by researchers.
Google is set to continue helping the fight against the pandemic by pledging $1,5 million to fund a COVID-19 vaccine media hub to support fact-checking research in December.
