Informed Consent

Title of Research Study: Human Triage of Manipulated Media

Principal Investigator: Matthew Groh

Supported By:This research is supported by Northwestern University Management and Organizations department.

Key Information about this research study: The following is a short summary of this study to help you decide whether to be a part of this study. Information that is more detailed is explained later on in this form. • The purpose of this study is to evaluate how well people can identify manipulated media. • We will show you images and we will ask you to identify whether they are authentic or AI-generated • We expect that you will be in this research study for 10 to 15 minutes. • Participant in this experiment involves minimal risk. • The main benefit of being in this study is contributing to research on detecting manipulated media.

Why am I being asked to take part in this research study? We are asking you to take part in this research study because you are visiting this website and are at least 18 years old.

How many people will be in this study? We expect thousands of participants will be in this research study. What should I know about participating in a research study? • You can choose not to take part. • You can agree to take part and later change your mind. • Your decision will not be held against you. • You can ask all the questions you want before you decide. • You do not have to answer any questions you do not want to answer.

What happens if I say, “Yes, I want to be in this research”? We will show you images on this website and ask you to judge whether they are real or AI-generated. We expect this to take 10 to 15 minutes.

Will being in this study help me in any way? We cannot promise any benefits to you or others from your taking part in this research.

Is there any way being in this study could be bad for me? We foresee minimal risks.

What happens if I do not want to be in this research, or I change my mind later? Participation in research is voluntary. You can decide to participate or not to participate. If you do not want to be in this study or withdraw from the study at any point, your decision will not affect your relationship with Northwestern University. You can leave the research at any time and it will not be held against you. If you decide to withdraw from this study, any identifiabler data already collected from you will be destroyed.

How will the researchers protect my information? We will not collect any personally identifiable information. Who will have access to the information collected during this research study? We will not collect any personally identifiable information, and we will make anonymized data publicly available for replication and reproducibility.

How might the information collected in this study be shared in the future? We will not collect any personally identifiable information, and we will make anonymized data publicly available for replication and reproducibility. There are reasons why information about you may be used or seen by other people beyond the research team during or after this study. Examples include: • University officials, government officials, study funders, auditors, and the Institutional Review Board may need access to the study information to make sure the study is done in a safe and appropriate manner.

Will I be paid or given anything for taking part in this study? If you participating through Prolific (or another recruitment website), you will receive the rate specified by Prolific (or another recruitment website) for your participation in this study. We cannot pay a participant who withdraws before completing all study procedures.

Who can I talk to? If you have questions, concerns, or complaints, you can contact the Principal Investigator Matthew Groh (matthew.groh@northwestern.edu). This research has been reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board (“IRB”) – an IRB is a committee that protects the rights of people who participate in research studies. You may contact the IRB by phone at (312) 503-9338 or by email at irb@northwestern.edu if:
• Your questions, concerns, or complaints are not being answered by the research team.
• You cannot reach the research team.
• You want to talk to someone besides the research team.
• You have questions about your rights as a research participant.
• You want to get information or provide input about this research.
If you want a copy of this consent for your records, you can print it from the screen. If you cannot print the consent and would like a copy for your records, contact the Principal Investigator with the contact information above. If you wish to participate, please click the “I Agree” button and you will be taken to the study. If you do not wish to participate in this study, please select “I Disagree” or select X in the corner of your browser.