The Google News Initiative on Tuesday launched a global open fund to fight misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, worth up to $3 million.
The “COVID-19 Vaccine Counter Misinformation Open Fund” aims to support journalistic efforts to effectively fact-check misinformation about the COVID-19 immunisation process, the initiative belonging to Alphabet’s Google said in a blog post.
While the COVID-19 infodemic has been global in nature, misinformation has also been used to target specific populations,” it added.
The fund will accept projects looking to expand the audience of fact-checks, particularly to groups disproportionately hit by misinformation.
Applications will be reviewed by team of 14 jurors from across the academic, media, medical and non-profit sectors, as well as representatives from the World Health Organisation.
In December, the Google News Initiative pledged $1.5 million to fund a COVID-19 vaccine media hub to support fact-checking research.