UMN Digital Journalism Study Program Students Participate in The Asia Fact Check Forum

All ANNIE School Net Conference 2024 participants, including student representatives from various campuses, accompanied by their respective instructors, taking a photo with the Rector of Van Lang University at Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Friday (13/12/2024). (Doc: Van Lang University Documentation)

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – Three students of the Digital Journalism Study Program at Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN), Ryan Chen, Keira Putri Minerva, and Nania Satriani, along with the accompanying lecturer, Ambang Priyonggo, had the opportunity to participate in the first fact-checking conference at the Asian level, ANNIE (Asian Network for News and Information Educators) School Net Conference 2024. This event occurred on December 13-14 at Van Lang University (VLU), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

In this conference, UMN’s student team presented the process and results of a fact-checking project conducted during classroom learning activities. The students presented an in-depth analysis of misinformation and disinformation trends in Indonesia and effective methods to verify facts.

“The comrades representing UMN have been very good at presenting their experiences in fact-checking, especially from case study projects in the Digital Fact-Checking course in the Digital Journalism Study Program,” Ambang Priyonggo said when interviewed at Van Lang University on Saturday (14/12).

The Rector of Van Lang University, Tran Thi My Dieu, delivers a speech at the ANNIE School Net Conference 2024 opening session at Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on Friday (13/12/2024). (Doc Ryan Chen)

As the host, VLU warmly welcomed participants from various countries. VLU Rector, Assoc. Prof. Tran Thi My Dieu said that the two-day student exchange program is not just an opportunity to learn but also an important momentum for students to connect with friends from all over Asia.

“Through this program, we provide opportunities for students to share unique cultural experiences and build a network of young people who are eager to verify information,” Tran said at the opening session of the ANNIE School Net Conference 2024, Friday (13/12/2024).

Furthermore, the Rector of Van Lang University believes that after attending this workshop, each participant will become bolder in fighting against fake news, a more dedicated defender of the truth, and a more responsible digital citizen in the global era.

UMN Journalism Delegates: Ambang Priyonggo, Nania Satriani, Keira Putri Minerva, and Ryan Chen, in the lobby of Van Lang University, ahead of the opening of the ANNIE School Net Conference 2024 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Friday (13/12/2024). (Doc: Personal Documentation)

Meanwhile, the conference also held an artificial intelligence (AI) fact-check challenge and a mini fact-check workshop led by Prof. Masato Kajimoto, Professor of Journalism at the University of Hong Kong and the initiator of ANNIE.

Professor Masato Kajimoto giving a presentation in the AI Workshop session on the second day of the ANNIE School Net Conference 2024 at Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on Saturday (14/12/2024). (Doc: Ryan Chen)

“It went viral on social media, showing an explosion near the Pentagon. This photo had a real impact, causing the stock market to drop by half a billion dollars in minutes. Although experts managed to prove the photo was fake in a short time, its rapid spread through verified accounts on social media shows how serious the threat of AI-generated disinformation is,” Masato Kajimoto said during the AI Workshop session on the second day of ANNIE School Net Conference 2024, Saturday (14/12/2024).

The ANNIE School Net Conference is an interactive forum involving participants from 13 universities in various Asian countries: Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Hong Kong. In addition to UMN, Indonesian delegates included Tempo Polytechnic, Airlangga University, and Bandung Islamic University.

From India, there were representatives from M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women and O.P. Jindal Global University. Japan was represented by Classroom Adventure, while New Era University College represented Malaysia. From the Philippines, there were representatives from De La Salle University and Marikina Science High School. Then, Hong Kong was represented by the University of Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Vietnam was represented by Van Lang University and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

For UMN students who participated in this activity, this conference was a place to discuss and share best practices in fact-checking to fight misinformation and disinformation. Students had the opportunity to exchange ideas, share experiences, and expand their networks amidst the flood of hoaxes in the digital era. This activity is also considered to provide new insights into the challenges and solutions faced by young journalists from various countries in maintaining the credibility of information.

“I am very impressed and happy to be able to participate in this international activity and forum. On this occasion, I was able to share my experience about the fact-checking process that our team at UMN has carried out, as well as gain new insights from students and lecturers from other universities. After attending this conference, I feel even more motivated to continue this fact-checking project to a more serious stage to fight the hoaxes that continue to grow in Indonesia,” Keira Putri Minerva, one of UMN’s journalism students, said.

A fellow student, Ryan Chen, added his perspective on the challenges of information technology. “I am very grateful to be able to participate in this conference, which provided me with many valuable experiences and new knowledge. The opportunity to present my work in an international forum and get acquainted with students from various countries is a memorable experience. I also learned how to identify content generated by AI technology, such as photos, videos, and voices that resemble world figures, which is important to prevent the spread of hoaxes,” Ryan said.

Furthermore, Nania Satriani, the third student, emphasized the importance of international collaboration. “My participation in the ANNIE School Net Conference 2024 in Vietnam was amazing. I learned how important international collaboration is in facing digital information challenges here. The forum exposed me to various fact-checking strategies from students across countries, especially in using AI technology to identify and counter the spread of fake news,” Nania said.

By Keira Putri Minerva, Ryan Chen, & Nania Satriani | UMN Journalism Students

English translation by Levina Chrestella Theodora

Kuliah di Jakarta untuk jurusan program studi Informatika | Sistem Informasi | Teknik Komputer | Teknik Elektro | Teknik Fisika | Akuntansi | Manajemen | Komunikasi Strategis | Jurnalistik | Desain Komunikasi Visual | Film dan Animasi | Arsitektur | D3 Perhotelan , di Universitas Multimedia Nusantara. www.umn.ac.id