Interference in the presidential election? Google will fund AFP to track down “fake news”
For the presidential elections of 2022, no question of leaving the ignorant in their own juice. Oh no ! On the side of AFP we decided to take things in hand. No question of letting it be said that Emmanuel Macron is a Satanist reptilian, that COVID is the work of the Chinese Illuminati or that the Earth has the shape of a zucchini. For this, AFP has decided to create a “Objectif Désinfox” label. One of the largest news agencies in the world along with Reuters and Associated Press goes on a crusade. And for total independence, AFP has chosen… Google.
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Foreign interference?
It might sound like a joke, but no. We are therefore asking an American company to participate in the presidential debates in a way. Whether AFP wants to verify the facts or to demystify (“fact-checking” or “debunkage” for Jean-Claude Van Damme from the back of the class), it is quite legitimate, but why ask Google France? It is a foreign trading company. And we ask him to decide the true from the false on news which concerns a major political event. We dream…
“It will be free and managed by the#AFP with complete editorial independence, thanks to the financial support of #Google. ” pic.twitter.com/paBS9FEKm2
– Sovereign Tech (@SouveraineTech) December 9, 2021
As stated in the AFP press release above devoted to the subject: “This program to fight against disinformation […] will be free and managed by AFP in all independence editorial, thanks to financial support from Google. “ Obviously in the country of “fact checkers” links and conflicts of interest do not exist … Some should nevertheless open their dictionary and reread the definition of the word independence.
Pre-digested for docile and precarious journalists
But how will this association work out in concrete terms? Online training, meetings with “experts”, but also “ready-to-chew” or “already digested”. Like you want. We are therefore talking about a collaborative platform with a reporting device for misleading content and above all a provision of “fact-checked” content for journalists. Do you realize how good it is? You don’t even need to work when you’re a journalist, you just have to take the dispatches (good that, we know) and you can even affix the label “Objectif Désinfox” to give yourself a clear conscience. It’s time to save! Self-employed precarious journalists will be able to take their second job more quickly at Burger King and journalists on permanent contracts will be able to concentrate on petit fours and self-flagging sessions.
AFP close to power? Fake news!
Finally if the AFP / Google association makes you tick because of the American giant, do not be fooled. According to Release, one-eighth of the members of the board of directors and a little over a quarter of the members of the board of directors are appointed by the government. And when we know that a third of the budget depends on public money, it is hard to imagine the “fact-checkers” looking for lice in the abundant hair of Jean Castex …
