Flock messenger app filters false information with Fake News Detector's aid

NEW DELHI: Team messenger app Flock has unveiled its Flock Fake News Detector (FND). This new feature empowers Flock users to stop false and misleading information from being introduced into their messaging and collaboration environments and decision-making processes.

Fake and misleading news have the power to shape opinions and influence decisions. At any level of an organization, using information from unreliable sources as a basis for decision-making has a high probability to negatively impact the business. To protect organizations against the fake news epidemic, Flock says that the company takes the most direct approach to tackle the issue at its source.

Flock FND is an integration that identifies and flags content from sources deemed misleading, unverified or false when users share it on the Flock messaging and collaboration platform among teams within their organizations that can include customers and partners.

Commenting on the launch, Flock CEO Bhavin Turakhia said, “When users unknowingly share suspect URLs into Flock chat boxes, Flock FND cross-references the link within a database of more than 600 verified fake news sources. When content from an unreliable news source is identified, Flock FND flags it and warns users that it is fake news. A highly visible icon and red bar alongside the preview of the URL makes it impossible for users to ignore the alert. Users then have the option to remove the content before it becomes widespread.”

“Optimal decisions are based on reliable information; however, employees rarely have the time to validate each piece of information they receive or consider,” said Turakhia. “Unfortunately, misinformation breeds misinformation, and through the simple means of sharing in today’s digital ecosystem, one unreliable piece of content can easily spread like wildfire throughout an entire organization and beyond. With the Flock Fake News Detector, we’ve taken a socially responsible and proactive step to counter this global epidemic and support organizational productivity, efficiency and decision-making.”