A recently initiated research project seeks to develop new methods to combat online hate speech and misinformation. The project has a total budget of more than NOK 19 million and is coordinated by Western Norway Research Institute (WNRI).
"This is an ambitious project which combines research and innovation to contribute to solving a societal problem", says project coordinator Rajendra Akerkar.

The Research Council of Norway recently announced that Western Norway Research Institute and its partners will receive more than NOK 19 million to conduct research into artificial intelligence, big data, and social media. The project seeks put an end to online hate speech and radicalisation through developing new methods based on big data.

With an international career in research, 16 scientific book titles and a large network stretching across the globe, Rajendra Akerkar is one of Sogndal's academic stars. The Big Data Professor is currently working to recruit young researchers to his field of research, as two positions are open this summer in the field of big data and innovation in regional businesses.

Identifying and exposing fake news and online hate speech is to be a research topic in a new, international collaboration project within big data. Western Norway Research Institute will be cooperating with colleagues in India, Japan, China, Hong Kong, and the USA. The top researchers taking part in this project will be sharing knowledge as well as research methods, in addition to including students in their ongoing research.