[DMP 2024]: User Research of Tipline Users

[dennyabrain]

Ticket Contents

The Deepfake Analysis Unit (DAU) is a trusted resource for raising public awareness on the issue of synthetic media, commonly known as deepfakes. Through a network of partnerships and a whatsapp tipline, we aim to combat generative A.I. based misinformation. We are structured to leverage the expertise of academics, researchers, startups, tech platforms, fact-checkers, and journalists to help the public discern the real from the fabricated.

One of the ways for citizens to engage with the DAU is by texting us on our whatsapp tipline

The tipline can be used for submitting videos and audios and learn if they contain any sort of manipulation. The tipline and our whatsapp channel is also a great avenue to learn more about deepfakes and other media manipulation techniques.

We would like to conduct a User Research of our tipline users to help understand their expectations from the tipline and how best to address them.

Key design-research questions

1. What do citizens expect from a tipline like ours?
2. Do they find the instructions in our chatbot easy to follow?
3. Are they able to discover the various functionalities of the tipline and effectively use them?
4. Do they understand the various responses we send out?
5. Do they find themselves more knowledgeable about the various deception strategies used in media items after they started using our tipline?
6. Do they find themselves better equipped to deal with instances of synthetic media manipulation?
7. Our tipline currently works in 4 languages (english, hindi, tamil and telugu). What are the best practices around onboarding users

Current State

While a lot of thought has gone in ensuring that the tipline and its content is accessible to every one, we have not done any user research of the tipline users themselves. I inquired with some fact checkers on the team and even though they run tiplines like these for their readers, no study of this sort has taken place to their best knowledge. We are in the process of finding out any published research on fact checking tiplines on whatsapp. Some known companies who have run such tiplines globally are meedan and turn.io

Desired State

DAU aspires to be one stop destination to get information about synthetic media for citizens, journalists and anyone concerned with the information ecosystem. A lot of the features on the immediate roadmap relate to being able to send timely response to users for their queries. That being said the nature of the work is such that a satisfactory investigation sometimes takes more than a few days. We want to become a trusted resource and communicate our capabilities and timeline realistically to the users. We want to keep the users engaged with our service without spamming them.

Goals & Mid-Point Milestone

• Establish a strategy to recruit users for the study
• Recruit users for the study
• Work with the DAU to finalize user research survey and activities
• Conduct User Research
• Summarize findings
• Provide actionable feedback on UX changes to make in the tipline

The first three items must be completed by mid point check in.

Acceptance Criteria

• Transcript/Documentation of the user interviews
• Analysis Report summarizing key findings and recommendations

Existing Mockups/Wireframes

A sample conversation between the tipline user and our bot :

Screenshots from the dashboard that factcheckers, DAU secratariat and forensic experts use to access and answer user queries

Product Name

Deepfake Analysis Unit

Organisation Name

Tattle Civic Technologies

Domain

⁠Education

Mentor(s)

@tarunima

[NEGRAH-S]

@tarunima @dennyabrain , I am interested to work on the above as a part of DMP, will go deep in its understanding to make a draft proposal to get it reviewed before submission. As per me No user research has been conducted on tipline users. DAU aims to fill this gap by understanding user needs and experiences. Limited published research on fact-checking tiplines on whatsapp is available.

[NEGRAH-S]

@dennyabrain @tarunima , I have mailed you a draft proposal for review before I make a final submit. kindly, look at it.

[NEGRAH-S]

@dennyabrain @tarunima @TejalTM , I have submitted my proposal for this project looking forward to work on same.

[manishauxui]

@tarunima @dennyabrain @NEGRAH-S i just have the question regarding the acceptance criteria what it is for ? do i have to make proposal on the basis of this acceptance Criteria ?

[dennyabrain]

@manishauxui the acceptance criteria is an expectation of what your end deliverable would be. Since this is a user research project, at the least having a transcript of the inverview and your synthesis of it is the least we want as a deliverable that we can publish. Of course there is some flexibility on what else you would like to do depending on your skills/interests and what new information you gather in the initial research

[Yashig23]

@dennyabrain , hey can i still submit for this project, I hope the contributor isn't selected yet.

[dennyabrain]

You might have to check for it here - https://unstop.com/competitions/dedicated-mentoring-program-dmp-2024-code-for-govtech-932803?lb=7gWXVfKv
the deadline is today for this project afaik

[Yashig23]

Thankyou very much for your response @dennyabrain , I have submitted my proposal. Hoping to hear from you soon.

[JAkrish29]

Hello @dennyabrain @TejalTM From when can we start working on this issue and what all do we need to do for the same other than submitting Proposal for DMP. Please do guide me for which I shall be very much obliged !!

[NEGRAH-S]

@JAkrish29 , Hey after the announcement of result. The one chosen will be given a chance to work on the following issue.