Facebook to now 'fact-check' photos, videos
San Francisco, Sep 14 : In a bid to curb the spread of misinformation, social networking giant Facebook is now expanding its fact-checking capabilities to all of its third-party analysis partners around the world to examine the authenticity of the photos and videos shared on the platform.
"We have built a Machine Learning (ML) model that uses various engagement signals, including feedback from people on Facebook, to identify potentially false content and then send to the fact-checkers for review who analyse the content metadata along with other information to assess the truth or falsity of a photo or video by combining these skills with other journalistic practices or government agencies," Facebook said in a statement late on Thursday.
Based on testing and research, the social networking company claimed that misinformation in photos and videos falls into three categories -- manipulated or fabricated, out-of-context and text or audio claim -- which the platform aims to monitor and reduce.
"We use optical character recognition (OCR) to extract text from photos and compare that text to headlines from fact-checkers' articles and now we are also working on new ways to detect if a photo or video has been manipulated," the company added.
According to Tessa Lyons who is a Product Manager at Facebook, the company started its work on misinformation with articles because that was what people in the US said was the most prevalent form of false news they were seeing.
"What they would do is they will share articles that contain misinformation - and people would be surprised by the headlines because they were false. So, they will click on those articles and land on websites where bad actors were monetising their impressions with ads," Lyons said.
Expanding the fact-checking capabilities of Facebook to third-party partners would add more ratings on the accuracy of the content circulating on the platform using which it would be easier to improve the credibility of Facebook's ML model.
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Karnataka offers extensive incentives in its proposed IT policy
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka has proposed a new Information Technology Policy for 2025–2030, offering extensive financial and non-financial incentives aimed at accelerating investments, strengthening innovation and expanding the state's tech footprint beyond Bengaluru.
The Karnataka Cabinet gave its nod to the policy 2025–2030 with an outlay of Rs 445.50 crore on Thursday after the Finance Department accorded its approval.
The policy introduces 16 incentives across five enabler categories, nine of which are entirely new, with a distinctive push to support companies setting up or expanding in emerging cities.
Alongside financial support, the government is also offering labour-law relaxations, round-the-clock operational permissions and industry-ready human capital programmes to make Karnataka a globally competitive 'AI-native' destination.
According to the policy, units located outside Bengaluru will gain access to a wide suite of benefits, including research and development and IP creation incentives, internship reimbursements, talent relocation support and recruitment assistance.
The benefits also include EPF reimbursement, faculty development support, rental assistance, certification subsidies, electricity tariff rebates, property tax reimbursement, telecom infrastructure support, and assistance for events and conferences.
Bengaluru Urban will receive a focused set of six research and development and talent-oriented incentives, while Indian Global Capability Centres (GCCs) operating in the state will be brought under the incentive net.
Incentive caps and eligibility thresholds have been raised, and the policy prioritises growth-focused investments for both new and expanding units.
Beyond incentives, the government focuses on infrastructure and innovation interventions.
A flagship proposal in the policy is the creation of Techniverse -- integrated, technology-enabled enclaves developed through a public-private partnership model inside future Global Innovation Districts.
These campuses will offer plug-and-play facilities, artificial intelligence and machine learning and cybersecurity labs, advanced testbeds, experience centres, and disaster-resistant command centres.
There will also be a Statewide Digital Hub Grid and a Global Test Bed Infrastructure Network, linking public and private research and development, and innovation facilities across Karnataka.
The government has proposed a Women Global Tech Missions Fellowship for 1,000 mid-career women technologists, an IT Talent Return Programme to absorb experienced professionals returning from abroad, and broad-based skill and faculty development reimbursements.
Shared corporate transport routes in Bengaluru and tier-two cities will be designed with Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation and other transport entities to support worker mobility.
The government said the policy is the outcome of an extensive research and consultation process involving TCS, Infosys, Wipro, IBM, HCL, Tech Mahindra, Cognizant, HP, Google, Accenture and NASSCOM, along with sector experts and stakeholder groups.
It estimates an outlay of Rs 967.12 crore over five years, comprising Rs 754.62 crore for incentives and Rs 212.50 crore for interventions such as Techniverse campuses, digital grid development, global outreach missions and talent programmes.
