“On the trail of
rumours”

How often do you question rumours you encounter online? Discover our new eight-part video series, highlighting East Asia's approach to disinformation and hate speech.

Cartoon scene featuring diverse individuals working on laptops, focused on a map opf East Asia, representing teamwork and digital communication. © Yukari Mishima

VIDEOS COMING SOON ...

Training AI

Ever wondered how well AI can tap into the emotional intelligence of its users? In this episode, you will gain insights into the world of artificial intelligence and its ability to engage in natural conversation. Iruda, the AI chatbot captivated South Korea in early 2021, seamlessly blending into online dialogue and communicating just like a Korean university student in her 20s.

© Yukari Mishima
Message from Ray

How can a game teach you something about media literacy? In this episode, we follow a group of students as they develop a game to teach colleagues about media literacy and debunking rumours. The game’s main character, Ray, will have you acting like a detective - if you are lucky, he will even give you a call.

© Yukari Mishima
The ban festival

How can collective action serve as a powerful antidote to the harmful spread of misinformation and hate? In this episode, we examine a troubling trend between 2009 and 2016 in Japan, where hate speech and rallies targeting Korean residents surged. This increase highlighted the fragility of cultural cohesion and the deep divides created by toxic narratives.

© Yukari Mishima
Media Literacy 101

What is the relationship between media literacy and levels of press freedom? At the University of Hong Kong, lecturer Masato recognized that media literacy was being taught using Western resources. In response, he founded ANNIE Asia, a news and information network dedicated to creating accurate, relevant materials tailored to the East Asian context.

© Yukari Mishima
Listening to social media

Why do natural disasters in Japan lead to an increase in misinformation? Given its unique geographical condition, Japan frequently experiences natural disasters - can you imagine what happens when you couple them with rumours and misinformation? In this episode, we dive into the action taken by people on a mission to debunk online rumours.

© Yukari Mishima
Face to face

Ever seen the pink vests in Taiwan’s parks, mountain trails or markets? The vests belong to the Fake News Cleaner, a grassroots movement run by 160 volunteers. They’re on a mission to teach citizens how to spot misinformation and scams. In this episode, you'll learn how they help older people protect themselves from online fraud!

© Yukari Mishima
A helpful bot

How is Taiwan fighting anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric? This Episode takes place in Taiwan in 2016, where anti-LGBTQ+ messages were spreading like wildfire. To counter this, Cofacts was born—a collaborative, open-source fact-checking platform.

© Yukari Mishima
On the trail of rumours

Have you heard about super apps? API's? Kakao? What about the national security law in Hong Kong? In this episode, you will follow our navigator as they travel through Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan in search of false rumours, and learn all about the state of misinformation online.

© Yukari Mishima