Transparency in AI usage within fact-checking platforms in Spain and its ethical challenges

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• dc.contributor.author Cuartielles Saura, Roger
• dc.contributor.author Mauri, Marcel, 1977-
• dc.contributor.author Rodríguez Martínez, Ruth, 1976-
• dc.date.accessioned 2024-10-10T09:53:10Z
• dc.date.available 2024-10-10T09:53:10Z
• dc.date.issued 2024
• dc.description.abstract Transparency –encompassing methodological, financial, and source-related aspects, as well as the tools employed– is central to the operations of professional fact-checking platforms. However, the growing adoption of artificial intelligence tools in fact-checking introduces new ethical challenges. This research investigates the extent to which these platforms believe they should disclose their use of AI and assesses the current practices on their websites regarding this technology. The study employs a qualitative methodology, including semi-structured interviews with professionals from accredited Spanish verification platforms and content analysis of these organizations’ websites. The findings indicate that transparency in AI usage is widely regarded as an ethical imperative. Nevertheless, the application of this standard often becomes ambiguous when addressing specific practices and cases. Many professionals question the necessity of explicitly disclosing AI usage when the technology primarily supports the verification and is overseen by human reviewers. Additionally, a lack of understanding of AI’s functionality sometimes hinders the ability to identify whether the tools employed incorporate AI. The content analysis also reveals that explicit mentions of AI use on the websites are rare and that platforms lack open-access manuals or protocols that outline and regulate their AI practices.
• dc.description.sponsorship This research was funded by the project titled “Accountability Instruments in the Face of Disinformation: Impact of Fact-Checking Platforms as Accountability Tools and Curriculum Proposal” (PID2019-106367GB-I00/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033) (FACCTMedia). It is supported by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain (2020-2024) in collaboration with the Political Communication, Journalism, and Democracy Research Group at Pompeu Fabra University (POLCOM-GRP) and the AGAUR Grants (2021 SGR 00486) from the Generalitat of Catalonia. The author, Roger Cuartielles, holds an FPU contract from the Ministry of Universities of the Government of Spain, under reference FPU22/ 03075.
• dc.format.mimetype application/pdf
• dc.identifier.citation Cuartielles R, Mauri-Ríos M, Rodríguez-Martínez R. Transparency in AI usage within fact-checking platforms in Spain and its ethical challenges. Communication & Society. 2024;37(4):257-71. DOI: 10.15581/003.37.4.257-271
• dc.identifier.doi http://dx.doi.org/10.15581/003.37.4.257-271
• dc.identifier.issn 2386-7876
• dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10230/61369
• dc.language.iso eng
• dc.publisher Universidad de Guadalajara
• dc.relation.ispartof Communication & Society. 2024;37(4):257-71.
• dc.relation.projectID info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/2PE/PID2019-106367GB-I00
• dc.rights Todo el contenido de esta revista, excepto dónde está identificado, está bajo una Licencia Creative Commons
• dc.rights.accessRights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
• dc.rights.uri https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• dc.subject.keyword Fact-checking
• dc.subject.keyword Transparency
• dc.subject.keyword Artificial Intelligence
• dc.subject.keyword Ethics
• dc.subject.keyword Journalism
• dc.title Transparency in AI usage within fact-checking platforms in Spain and its ethical challenges
• dc.type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
• dc.type.version info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion