Hatedemics

Using the potential of artificial intelligence to counter online hate speech and fake news. This is the goal of the European project Hatedemics starting this month and coordinated by Trento based Fondazione Bruno Kessler.

Specifically, under the two-year project, a platform will be developed that NGOs, journalists, fact-checkers, public authorities and students can use to address online hate speech and fake news in a timely and effective manner, countering those hate crimes rooted in misinformation that target the most vulnerable groups.

“With Hatedemics,” Marco Guerini, head of the LanD Unit at FBK and project coordinator, explained “the fight against online hate and disinformation becomes a concrete and shared mission, an opportunity to build a more inclusive and respectful digital future. Our goal is to transform the Web into a safe and informative space where the search for truth and respect for others are the pillars of every interaction.”

Thanks to the platform and through state-of-the-art artificial intelligence tools, it will be possible to automatically detect hate speech and misinformation online, assess its “viral potential,” and create dialogue-based counter-narratives. Finally, it will be possible to estimate the changes brought about by these interventions in order to implement increasingly targeted and timely ones, including to prevent the polarization and spread of racist, xenophobic and intolerant speech.

The project, in which thirteen entities from five European countries are participating, also aims to create interactive training and educational pathways to raise awareness of the importance of countering the fake news at the root of online hatred.

The pilot will take place in Italy, Malta, Poland and Spain, with the aim of ensuring wide dissemination of the results. To foster cooperation and promote the project results, attention will be paid to the sustainability and transferability of Hatedemics solutions to other EU countries through workshops, webinars, online campaigns and dissemination events. The final event where the results will be presented will be held in Trento at the end of the project. FBK research Units DH, led by Sara Tonelli and CHuB, led by Riccardo Gallotti, are also participating in the project.

Participating European partners are:

1. FONDAZIONE BRUNO KESSLER – COORDINATOR
2. SAHER (EUROPE) OU
3. ALDA – ASSOCIATION EUROPEENNE POUR LA DEMOCRATIE LOCALE
4. FUNDACION EUROARABE DE ALTOS ESTUDIOS
5. FUNDACION MALDITA.ES CONTRA LA DESINFORMATION: PERIODISMOEDUCACION INVESTIGACIONE DATOS EN NUEVOS FORMATOS
6. FUNDACION CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS ANDALUCES
7. CESIE
8. THE FACT-CHECKING FACTORY
9. SOLIDARITY AND OVERSEAS SERVICE MALTA (SOS MALTA)
10. MINISTRY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, SECURITY, REFORMS AND EQUALITY
11. FUNDACJA CENTRUM EDUKACJI OBYWATELSKIEJ
12. STOWARZYSZENIE DEMAGOG
13. NAUKOWA I AKADEMICKA SIEC KOMPUTEROWA – PANSTWOWY INSTYTUT BADAWCZY

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