2024 - Present
ROLE
RESPONSIBILITIES
TEAM
STATUS
Problem
Users increasingly feel overwhelmed by biased, low-quality news content. Misinformation spreads quickly, and existing platforms incentivize engagement over truth. Our hypothesis: Users would engage more with a platform designed around trust, signal quality, and personal agency.
Co-Founder, Product & Tech Lead
Seeking Series A funding
UX/UI
System Design
Product Strategy
Prototyping
Research
QA
Analytics
Ryan Yamashita, Co-founder
Mobile App Developer
Backend Developer
Webapp Developer
Let us take a look at the recent misinformation that wildly and widely spread on social media
And unfortunately it doesn't stop there…social media impacts the world in BIGGER ways than we imagine!
▶︎ COVID-19 Misinformation
In 2021, false claims about vaccines (e.g., microchips, infertility, DNA alteration) spread rapidly on Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp. A 2021 study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate identified 12 individuals (“Disinformation Dozen”) as the source of 65% of anti-vaccine content on Facebook and Twitter. Vaccine hesitancy surged. The WHO declared the “infodemic” a parallel crisis. One study estimated that misinformation-related vaccine refusal led to ~319,000 preventable COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. between January and July 2021 (Brown School of Public Health).
▶︎ 2023 Israel-Hamas Conflict
Graphic videos, AI-generated images, and false claims about military actions went viral on X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Telegram. BBC Verify and Graphika found over 60% of viral posts in the first week were misleading, misattributed, or outright fake. Escalated tensions, delayed aid, and fueled international misinformation wars, even influencing diplomatic responses.
▶︎ AI-Generated Political Deepfakes in U.S. Elections (2024–2025)
In the lead-up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election, AI-generated deepfakes became a significant concern. Notably, a deepfake video falsely showing Taylor Swift endorsing Donald Trump circulated widely on social media platforms. This incident highlighted the potential of AI tools to create realistic yet fabricated content that can mislead voters and influence public opinion. The proliferation of such deepfakes raised alarms about the integrity of electoral processes and the challenges in combating AI-driven misinformation .
▶︎ Disinformation in Romania's Presidential Election Rerun (2025)
Romania faced a significant wave of online disinformation ahead of its presidential election rerun, driven by pro-Russian and anti-government forces. The situation stemmed from the annulled election in November 2024, where far-right candidate Calin Georgescu advanced to a runoff before being disqualified due to allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference via platforms like TikTok. His exclusion led to street protests and allegations of a coup, intensifying distrust. The EU launched a probe into TikTok’s role under its Digital Services Act, while the platform and others removed thousands of fake or manipulative accounts .
Iris is a news-focused social platform I co-founded to address the growing challenge of misinformation and content overwhelm in digital media. The product aims to aid in peer reviewed news discovery, foster trusted sharing, and elevate informed engagement.