01. The Problem
Is there a way to control the proliferation of false news disseminated by dubious publishers?
As broadband and mobile internet penetration has accelerated since the start of the decade, Pakistanis have been eager to adopt social media as their primary source of news. This change was not without its problems; the onset osocial media made it very easy to manipulate facts, create false stories and create distrust of traditional media. This has been dubbed as ‘truth decay’. With a general election approaching, we sat down and debated to the efficacy of democracy, in an environment where polls can be shaped not by facts and policies, but by half-truths and fake-news. Is it really democracy?
There is currently a weak, untrained institute that moderates fake news in Pakistan
Too much noise within data and information around the country
02. The Goal
Create a modern, user friendly, and responsive fact checking website tackling the news of the Indian subcontinent. The site will enable users to request fact-checks and prove to use investigative, data that would educate the public about the annuity offerings and help policy holders access and understand their account information.
Surkhi cares about creating delightful content to effectively explain the key issues in Pakistan. Data is now ubiquitous all over the world and Pakistan also . We aim to add context through data and also to create dialogue among time-conscious people.
Surkhi is a news-tech company that originated in the summer of 2018 in an attempt to bring data-driven research on the state of Pakistan’s economy, politics, and society to young, social media savvy Pakistanis. The company utilizes investigative techniques, data analytics and web technology to present fact-checked news and infographics.
There are currently 3 products which are going through continuous development — Factcheck.pk and Surkhi Mukhtassir.
Surkhi.pk focuses on making news concise and visually easy to consume for time-bound audiences. Surkhi Meter; its subsidiary, offers fact-check and a ratings system which monitors reporting and the reported to create a positive morality effect so that everyone “sticks to the facts”!
Colors & Palettes
Selected Works