Yomiuri Survey: 90％ in Japan Support Introduction of Originator Profile; 61％ Expect New Tech Will Curb Spread of Disinformation

The Yomiuri Shimbun

9:46 JST, October 14, 2024

Ninety percent of respondents said they think the introduction of Originator Profile (OP), a technology that identifies the disseminators of information on articles and advertisements online, should be promoted, according to a nationwide survey conducted by The Yomiuri Shimbun. Six percent said they do not think it should be promoted.

Eighty-nine percent of respondents said they feel uneasy about disinformation spreading online, while 8% said they do not. Ninety-three percent of the people who feel uneasy and 76% of those who do not replied that the introduction of OP should be facilitated.

When asked what respondents expect from OP being introduced, with multiple answers allowed, 61% said the dissemination of disinformation and extremist information will be curbed. It was followed by 55% who answered that it will become easier to find reliable information, and 52% replied that disseminators will make more efforts to put out correct information.

The OP Collaborative Innovation Partnership, which comprises media organizations and other entities, aims to put OP into practical use in 2025.

In June, the partnership announced the OP Charter, which states the basic principles for the technolog and defines it as “an indicator for judging the authenticity and reliability of information and the entities that transmit it.”

The survey was conducted ahead of annual Newspaper Week, which starts Tuesday. The Yomiuri Shimbun surveyed 3,000 eligible voters nationwide from Aug. 20 through Sept. 26, of whom 2,025 people responded.