Google DNI granted Roularta Media Group funding in its 4th round with the VeriFlix project

On December 13th, Google announced the successful recipients of round 4 funding. It selected 102 projects, coming from 26 different European countries. The awarded projects can count on a total funding of 20.4 million euros for the execution of all projects. The [large] VeriFlix project has been funded during this round.

VeriFlix is an AI (artificial intelligence) powered solution that enables Roularta Media Group to source and verify the authenticity of user-generated videos – easily sourcing UGC videos and ensuring fake news is isolated from high quality videos.

VeriFlix will work on a set of tools to gather location-based, user-generated (live) videos from mobile app users, and verify their authenticity through a content verification AI layer. This layer will use a proprietary AI engine to filter out fake, inappropriate or off-topic content by checking the quality, relevance, consistency and diversity of videos.That way, Roularta Media Group will be able to drive long-term value for their audiences due to the distribution of authentic, fact-checked, quality content related to online news stories. Consumers will be able to provide their video content to the newsroom based on a journalist’s request. Journalists will use a web-based platform to manage the videos in real time.

Roularta Media Group collaborates with Look Live Media (a Belgian start-up active in the citizen journalism domain), Artevelde Hogeschool (in particular its department of journalism, making its expertise available on User Experience Design) and the University of Leuven (in particular its Computer Science and Electrical Engineering departments, making their expertise and background technology available on artificial intelligence).

CEO Donald Staar of Look  “The validation and authentication of user-generated videos is a major challenge that is yet to be solved in the media industry. Thanks to this strong and complementary partnership, we think we have the perfect mix to make our solution evolve and address this issue successfully!”

Professor Tinne Tuytelaars and Professor Marie-Francine Moens of KU Leuven “KU Leuven (research teams of Prof. Tinne Tuytelaars and Prof. Sien Moens) will contribute technology for the verification of user-generated video content and more specifically be involved in the development of a content verification artificial intelligence layer relying on smart machine learning methods.”

Professor Annelore Deprez of Artevelde Hogeschool  “In times of fake news it is important to tackle issues on verification and fact checking before integrating user-generated videos in news content. We believe that our project team can present the ideal credentials to work out a computer-mediated verification solution and a user-friendly B2C-platform in order to optimize communication between citizens and journalists.”

More information on successful recipients of Round 4 funding? https://digitalnewsinitiative.com/dni-projects/