Intel research tool seeks out conflicting information

Intel has unveiled its experimental Think Link project

Researchers at Intel are developing a new tool which deliberately seeks out conflicting information and opposing viewpoints on the internet.

The Think Link experimental project automatically finds information that contradicts that which the user is currently viewing. A browser plug-in then presents links to additional viewpoints on disputed information or claims.

Researchers suggest that the project could be especially useful to activists looking to gather the latest information on a hotly-debated topic, or for everyday users who are sceptical about the information they read online.

The tool also allows users to vote on contradictory information as a means of better refining both sides of an argument.

Think Link is part of a larger project by researchers at Intel's Berkeley Lab to study what they call "confrontational computing".

Researchers from Intel and the University of California Berkeley are examining ways that people use the internet to conduct debate, and the tools which can further aid them in discussing information online.