Officials threw around a lot of impressive words to describe the operations at their new “Fake News Center,” where they say a full four-point-oh effort will go toward constantly monitoring and analyzing the legitimacy of online news.
Touting things like “AI” and “experts” and showing off a whole lot of screens, the tech minister gave a sneak peek of the yet unfinished nerve center, which looks just about ready to rock and roll by the government’s November opening date.
“We are currently installing and testing equipment at our Fake News Center,” Puttipong Punnakanta of the Digital Economy and Society Ministry wrote online. He added that all online news with be monitored by artificial intelligence as well as a team of experts who will check the legitimacy of each story as well as seek out those who share false information.
He didn’t go into details. Perhaps they’re using the same clutch AI powering the incredibly unfortunate “AI Journalist” Suttichai Yoon announced earlier this month.
Read: True Story: ThaiGov to open ‘Fake News Center’
Will April 1 ever be the same? It’s also just as likely, as critics have alleged, its true purpose is weaponizing further censorship by going after stories the government does not like.
It has been hastily assembled in just over a month since plans were announced.
Puttipong said last month that the center would focus on relaying disaster warnings and news that could affect public safety and livelihoods.
Though he did not specify when the center will officially open, he wrote yesterday that it would be “very soon.”
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