HealthFact check

To fight against health misinformation spread on social media build an app where health experts can debunk health-related misleading information

We want to build an app that will address fake/misleading information about health and health-related problems and provide authentic information.

Work: We will try to search for fake/misleading information about health spreading on social media, analysis it and provide authentic information from health experts on the app.

Also, we will allow users to submit any piece of misleading information.

Next, I am thinking of using AI-driven classification of fake news but need large data for that and this app will help us to get that much data.

Fake/misleading information about health and health-related problems.

During the corona pandemic, we are facing problems with fake health-related misinformation that spreads like a virus. 

World health organization stated on 2 Feb 2020 it as infodemic. Also, they have reported a high volume of fake news related to health on social media. 

In India, many people lost their lives after drinking hand sanitizer as they thought it will help to fight against coronavirus. 

But if people have a dedicated platform to address misinformation about health-related problems, they will at least think twice before doing such actions.

Our solution serves mostly common people who have access to the internet but not to right and authentic information

During pandemics, many people have lost their lives as they believed in fake news rented to health.

There are news reported in India saying some people died by drinking hand sanitizer as they thought hand sanitizer can kill coronavirus

That's why we want to serve the right and scientific information for these people with the help of the platform we want to build.

Currently, I am doing MSc statistics and working with local publishing media where I write for a fact check section. 

During the corona pandemic, I mostly wrote about health-related fact checks.

I have found that there is actually a need of providing the right information to the audience otherwise they will believe on messages forwarded on WhatsApp or Facebook.

some work related to fact checks I have done in regional language Marathi.

1.

During the corona pandemic, I understand the need for the right information related to health as it impacts millions of lives.

That's why I want to build an app to address the problem of misleading health information.

In this project, we will use existing technologies such as AI, web development to develop applications.

The use of AI is a further step that will help to classify misleading information related to health by using data provided by users.

But for that, we need to launch the application and try to solve the problems of people manually with the help of health experts but later when we gather sufficient data we can implement AI.

I am aiming to reach 10 lakh people in the next year.

Since our app will try to provide authentic information related to health to the people who don't have access to authentic information, it will be revolutionary. 

For example, they won't drink sanitizer to kill viruses. they won't eat something to cure some disease based on messages circulating on WhatsApp, Twitter, or Facebook.

I believe that everyone has a fundamental right to access authentic information. And we will try to provide it.

We can use google analytics to access how many people getting benefit from our app and we will also try to get feedback from them to improve it.

The financial barrier only.

I am alone working on the project. I am pursing MSc statistics as well learning WordPress, writing for science and fact check section.

Many people have lost their lives because of fake information. Since we are trying to create a platform where they will get access to authentic information sources.

The Pozen Social Innovation Prize will help to scale the application, implementations of AI technology and tie up with more health experts.