A collaboration between Australian Associated Press (AAP) and TikTok is recruiting content creators across diverse subjects such as LGBTQI+ history and astrophysics, and training them to spread positive media literacy messages.
The pilot project, coinciding with Global Media and Information Literacy Week (October 24- 31), teaches TikTok creators to recognise and avoid misinformation, and supports them to share those lessons with their own audiences.
The five Australian and New Zealand TikTok creators chosen for the pilot program - Kirsten Banks, Rainbow History Class, Byron Dempsey, Celia Gercovich and Nixon Stoddart - represent a broad range of topics and audiences.
They received tailored training from AAP FactCheck in recognising misinformation and disinformation, habits to adopt for improved media literacy, and basic fact-checking and online verification skills.
The five creators were then supported to produce three videos each, all in their own distinct style, dealing with their choice of messaging about the misinformation problem and basic fact-checking.
The training builds on AAP FactCheck’s successful Check The Facts social media campaign launched during last year’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week, and demonstrates an ongoing commitment to building media literacy skills among a growing audience.
Holly Nott, AAP’s director of editorial partnerships, said: “AAP has always provided fact- based and objective journalism, and through AAP FactCheck we are also debunking misinformation on TikTok and other platforms.
“This pilot project is an exciting, pro-active way to expand the impact of our relationship with TikTok and support creators to share responsible, accessible messages about media literacy.
“AAP is committed to addressing the problem of misinformation from as many angles as we can, and this pilot project gives us another avenue to explore.”
Brent Thomas, director of public policy for AUNZ at TikTok said: “Our Community Guidelines clearly outline that we do not allow harmful misinformation, and we will, and do remove it from the platform.
“Partnering with AAP helps us to educate both our community and creators, which is vital in ensuring that mis and disinformation is not spread on our platform.“
The recent Reuters Institute Digital Media Report 2022, based on a poll of 93,000 respondents in 46 markets, showed trust in the news had declined in 21 markets. More than half the respondents (54 per cent) were also worried about not being able to tell the difference between what is true and false online.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.