“On the trail of
rumours”

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.
 

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.
 

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. 

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.
 

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.

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! 
 

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.
 

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.