Training Kiwi journalists to spot misinformation ahead of the New Zealand General Election

Ahead of elections, misinformation can ramp up leading to confusion and an erosion of people’s trust in the democratic process. With Kiwis taking to the polls this October, and a wide range of sources readily available online, it’s crucial that those who write the news have the tools to evaluate and ascertain quality information from misinformation.

That’s why, as part of our ongoing commitment to the New Zealand media industry, we’ve partnered with CrossCheck at RMIT FactLab to launch immersive and interactive training events that help newsrooms and community media learn skills to analyse online information during the Election period. 

In preparation for the election period, journalists participate in live simulations at the heart of a high-intensity breaking-news story, challenging them to make reporting decisions in real time. This includes a bespoke reflection that involves discussion and reflection on the various scenarios developed for all training sessions, and masterclass in information disorder and responsible reporting. 

In the 60-minute online training, participants debate ideas and simulate real life situations journalists may face, such as delving into case studies to understand some of the ethical boundaries on social media reporting. Participants found one of the biggest challenges for journalists was the 'tipping point' - when to report on information while considering whether or not amplification will do further harm.

We know that it’s better to address misconceptions before they spread, which is why the simulation brought to life examples of how to prebunk, as opposed to just debunk, information. 

Shanti Mathias, staff writer at The Spinoff shared her reflections post-training: ”I really appreciated the simulation and felt that it was quite a well researched scenario on the whole...overall the reminder to be thoughtful about information that I encounter as a journalist was a really valuable one.”

AUT Journalism Associate Professor Helen Sissons said the experience was a fantastic training tool, and students were "all smiles" and still talking about the simulation in classes. She also mentioned that the students enjoyed the hands-on practical and interactive nature of the exercises.

In the coming months, more simulation and training sessions will be conducted with top tier national and regional mastheads. There will also be additional training scenarios with te reo Māori experts and Chinese speakers to deliver simulations relevant to language groups. 

To further advance New Zealanders ability to identify misinformation, the Google News Initiative supports a range of other projects including Newshounds by Squiz Kids, a media literacy teaching resource which teaches children what information sources they should (and shouldn’t) trust, and Policy who run a tool for journalists that provides a database for candidates’ key election policies, supporting their ability to track misinformation. 

We look forward to continuing to work with news partners to ensure communities have access to quality information in an effort to ensure Kiwis continue to find quality information and journalism in critical moments that matter.