An idea for Truth as metadata

I want to believe the tweet above, and it makes sense to me. So I want to share it on. But I also feel greater responsibility than ever to make sure what I’m sharing is demonstrably true.

Sure, it could link to an article but a) that uses up character count and b), you have to click through to verify.

But if there was some way to support social posts with credible, verified facts, it could help shape a behaviour where the posts that lack it are considered more carefully.

So here’s a simple sense of the service:

• Aggregates key independent fact-checking services
• Parses the page to create image/ metadata designed to fit specifically alongside social posts
• Search engine to find evidence when you are writing

Now, when you share a stat or claim, you could link the relevant page on this site – and in the link preview, it would include a clear, visual citation for your point.

It’s clear we’re in an information crisis at the moment, in a way that is having a larger and larger impact upon democracy.

Just as Google has started to include fact-checking in search results, I believe we need to (and will soon) see more thought about how claims are supported online.

UPDATE: as if by magic, I see this in my feed today, illustrating the point again: