We are investing in people, programs, and projects that disrupt misinformation online.
Mozilla is working to surface new ideas that seek to address misinformation, cognitive bias, “belief echos,” and algorithmic “filter bubbles.” The initiative will launch efforts in four areas: products, research, visualization, and literacy. If you would like to help with this initiative, or receive updates as we announce the specifics, just use the sign-up form on the right.
Upcoming events
May 17th, 2018 - Opening Night at The Tech!
Why Mozilla
The spread of misinformation violates nearly every tenet of the Mozilla Manifesto, our guiding doctrine. Mozilla has a long history of putting community and principles first, and devoting resources to urgent issues—our Firefox browser is just one example. Mozilla is committed to building tolerance rather than hate, and building technology that can protect individuals and the web. So we’re drawing on the unique depth and breadth of the Mozilla Network—from journalists and technologists to policymakers and scientists—to build functional products, research, and community-based solutions. Specifically, we’re advancing work in these areas:
Product
Mozilla’s Open Innovation team will work with like-minded technologists and artists to develop technology that combats misinformation.
Mozilla will partner with global media organizations to do this, and also double down on our existing product work in the space, like Pocket, Focus, and Coral. Coral is a Mozilla project that builds open-source tools to make digital journalism more inclusive and more engaging.
Literacy
We can’t solve misinformation with technology alone—we also need to educate and empower Internet users, as well as those leading innovative literacy initiatives.
Mozilla will develop a web literacy curriculum that addresses misinformation, and will continue investing in existing projects like the Mission: Information teaching kit.
Research
Misinformation in the digital age is a relatively new phenomenon. To solve such a thorny problem, we first need to fully understand it.
Later this year, Mozilla will be releasing original research on how misinformation impacts users’ experiences online. We will be drawing on a dataset of user-level browsing data gathered during the 2016 U.S. elections.
Creative interventions
Mozilla will field and fund pitches from technologists and artists who are combating misinformation using various mediums, including virtual reality and augmented reality. It’s an opportunity to apply emerging technology to one of today’s most pressing issues.
Manifestations and Visualizations Challenge
The Challenge
We invite artists, universities, accelerators, incubators, developer networks and makers to help us visualize this challenge using web technology. We invite you to submit your pitch which should show the power of fake news and its effect on everyone. This challenge invites traditional as well as digital and mixed reality artists to apply. We will have resources for viewing AR/VR work in the gallery and would like to see solutions that integrate web technology.
Mozilla strives to make the challenges that users face on the internet visible in new ways. Misinformation, echo chambers and filter bubbles are problems that are affecting internet health and a user's ability to differentiate factual information. This challenge seeks to highlight those difficulties and draw out conversations around them.
Mozilla will be awarding grants to the winning pitches and will be showing finished pieces featured by Mozilla and Phi Center at C2 May 23-25, 2018. They will then be shown at Phi Center in Montreal and beyond.
Funding
Mozilla will be awarding $40,000 usd in Grants
1st Prize: $15,000
2 Runners Up: $7,500
2 Finalists: $5,000
How to Submit Your Application
Misinformation - false or inaccurate information, especially that which is deliberately intended to deceive.
Filter Bubble - the intellectual isolation that can occur when websites make use of algorithms to selectively assume the information a user would want to see, and then give information to the user according to this assumption.
Echo Chamber - a situation where certain ideas, beliefs or data points are reinforced through repetition of a closed system that does not allow for the free movement of alternative or competing ideas or concepts.