Editor’s note: Full disclosure: Rolliapp advertises on the Toolbox site and in this newsletter.
Rolliapp launched as an AI-driven expert database but has evolved in early 2024 into a transformative tool that tracks misinformation and disinformation online. It was founded by Nick Toso, former CNN en Español Washington DC Bureau Chief and Senior Producer. During his time in the newsroom, he saw the impact that having vetted and diverse subject matter experts had on the quality and depth of news coverage – and how it led to more equitable representation in the media, and meaningful public discourse.
In early 2024, Toso partnered with Zhouhan Chen of Information Tracer to incorporate Information Tracer’s technology into Rolliapp’s search results. Once you search a topic, you’ll find not only experts but graphics and information on how information is spreading on that topic on social media channels.
This tool uses deep learning and is a game-changer for social media editors, reporters, fact-checkers and others to monitor disinformation online. This is particularly useful during an election year. It’s good at identifying accounts that are part of coordinated efforts to spread specific information on causes.
The tool covers several social channels: X/Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, etc. It expects to add TikTok in the future. They’re also working on a Chrome Browser extension.
Getting Started
Set up a free account at Rolliapp.com
The interface is simple: type a topic into the search field and it will return a list of experts on that topic.
Scroll down on the page to find results from Information Tracer on how information is spreading online about that specific topic.
Below are some practice searches to help you learn how to use Rolliapp’s Information Tracker features.
Searches
Searches can be done on topic, URL, hashtags or @ account handles. Hashtags should work with/without the #.
Let’s start with a basic search for Trump
Hover over some of the bubbles on the chart to see the account and what was shared and on what platform. Click on it to take you to the post.
*-You can filter by platform by clicking on the tabs at the top of the chart.On the left rail, you’ll notice a list of “top spreaders” – a snapshot of posts that are getting the most traffic. Click on them to see the post
In the lower right corner of the chart, click on the “view more social trends” link.
Your chart will pop up with some filters to help fine-tune your Information Tracer search. Click on the plus sign and try this:
Trump
and/not/or
Try one of these three: Biden, Russia or Ukraine
Then use the calendar on the rail to narrow dates, hashtags, usernames or URLs.
Then hit the “Search” button at the bottom. This will generate a new chart.*-NOTE: Use the AGE pulldown to detect younger accounts, those that were established only to be disinformation spreaders.
Look for top spreaders and influencers by clicking on the How is this spreading or suspicious activity prompts in the lower left.
You’ll see a small meter that gauges the sentiment based on AI analysis of the accounts, viral posts, account history, content, etc. Suspicious patterns show up in low coordination scores. Look for red flags in the Facebook posts, etc.
The tools also gives you some “base prompts” to try in the lower left corner, such as, “how is this spreading across platforms?” etc. Try the prompt about “suspicious activity” and coordinated campaigns.
New search: You can now dig deeper for disinformation spreaders on Twitter. In March Rolli added tools that ID what country and account type on the tabs on the left sidebar after you click the “View More Social Trends” link in the lower right corner of the chart.
There are two tabs you can select: 1) How it is spreading on platforms and 2) How it is spreading globally, which gives you a country-by-country breakdown of the posts on a map.
On the Platforms tab, you can see the chart of all the accounts (or isolate just one) and how they performed day-to-day.
On the Who Are the Top Spreaders tab, you can gather information on the individual accounts. Type of account categories are Personal, Organization, Bot or Media. Bot, obviously, is a red flag but so can personal, organization and even some media accounts. It also includes a flag of the account’s origin. (see image below)
On the Spreading Globally tab, use the legend at the bottom to determine what type of location Rolliapp found. Some locations are specific to a city, but others may just have a country listed.
Right now, this is built only for Twitter but they are working to expand it to Instagram and other platforms.
More: You can experiment with other hashtags and searches: China earthquake, New York earthquake, #nikkihaleyforprison or others. If you’ve had a local story go viral, test the hashtags or keywords in Rolli.
More AI Fact-Checking Resources:
Bellingcat’s Digital Forensics Tools
Open source verification and investigative tools.Craig Silverman’s Verification and Digital Investigations Resources
Essential plugins and tools for general OSINT/online research work.AI Voice Detector
Free. Upload audio to scan. Also available as a browser extension.Deepware
A browser-based scanner and smartphone app. It uses multiple techniques to detect if an image or video has been tampered with, manipulated or synthesized.Nuanced
Claims to have the ability to detect AI-generated images. Cost: $30 monthly with annual packages. You can schedule a free demo.BBC Africa Eye Forensics Dashboard
A StartMe page with dozens of useful OSINT tools.
Find more fact-checking tools on the Journalist’s Toolbox™ AI
Sponsor
Many exciting updates to Rolliapp 3.0! Limited number of complimentary memberships for Journalist’s Toolbox AI readers available with code: “JOURNOAI” at Rolli.ai
Become a sponsor: Would you like to sponsor future Journalist’s Toolbox™ newsletters? Our rates are reasonable and our sponsors get results. Contact me at mikereilley1 [at] gmail [dot] com
AP GenAI Study Released
Be sure to read AP’s 2024 GenAI study that was announced a couple of weeks ago. The study consists of 300 newsroom executives and staff, and explores many key areas of how newsrooms are implementing AI.
Free Election Fact-Checking Tools Trainings
RTDNA and Google have teamed up to launch an election fact-checking training program targeted to broadcast and digital newsrooms, the organizations announced on Monday. The trainings, which last one to three hours, can be taught in-person or over Zoom. Once you decide when, where and which trainer you want, you can fill out a form linked off the program’s web page. The program costs nothing; Google covers the trainers’ time and travel costs.
ONA/Microsoft AI in Journalism Initiative
You can still sign up for the Online News Association/Microsoft AI in Journalism Initiative training program. The trainings are free for ONA members and $25 for non-members. You can register for the training here.
The trainings, which last 60 to 90 minutes, will run each month with a few extra trainings and mini-labs sprinkled in. They will be recorded for those who miss the live Zoom trainings or want to replay them. I helped them design the trainings and will conduct several of them.
Textbooks
The Journalist’s Toolbox
My new book, “The Journalist’s Toolbox A Guide to Digital Reporting and AI” will be published by Routledge in December. You can order it here
The book features tips, tricks and training videos on how to use digital tools, AI, mobile apps and more in your reporting. It makes for a great newsroom guide or textbook for reporting and digital courses. It’s available in “E-book Plus”, which embeds training videos and pop-ups directly into the book’s interface. It’s also available in paperback, hard cover and regular e-book format.
Data + Journalism
Samantha Sunne and I co-authored a textbook, “Data + Journalism” that’s available now on Routledge. (Order here). It’s an introductory- to intermediate-level guide to learning data storytelling from A to Z.
It features examples, interviews, links to tools and dozens of practical exercises to learn how to find, scrape, clean, visualize and write with data. We also explore ethics, transparency and basic math skills. We even offer a bonus chapter — Chapter 13 — on diversity and inclusion for free on our blog.
In Quotes …
“AI. We were smart enough to create it. Dumb enough to need it. And stupid enough to question whether we did the right thing.” — Jerry Seinfeld
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