There’s this new computer software dubbed SpinSpotter, which I tried but failed to make it work this evening.
The idea behind the new software is to spot biased news stories on the Net.
If it will just work properly it would be a great help for journalists, editors especially, to spot errors in stories. It will also help readers “read between the lies” in media.
A story in the Wall Street Journal today said the software is supposed to flag and comment on questionable content using a guide to potential inaccuracies and biases created by a panel of journalists.
I installed the program on my desktop (Note: It only works on Firefox 3.1) and tried to flag stories on GMANews.TV. I thought that it would automatically lock into errors (for instance a sentence that is in the passive form), but it is the user who has to highlight the error and identify it.
I haven’t fully studied the program, but the idea is interesting.
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