misinformation_detection_backend/README_GEMINI.md

Gemini Integration: GDELT Query Builder & Summarization

This project uses Google’s Gemini for:

• Building 10 language-preserving GDELT query variations.
• Analyzing outlet bias and returning categories (must include exactly “unbiased”).
• Producing a multi‑perspective factual summary grouped by bias categories.

Gemini runs in the cloud and is not cached. The local embedding model is cached and shared across requests.

Setup

• Get an API key from https://ai.google.dev/
• .env:
  • GEMINI_API_KEY=your_key
  • GEMINI_MODEL=gemini-1.5-pro (or gemini-2.5-pro / flash variants)

Query Builder (gdelt_query_builder.py)

• Generates EXACTLY 10 variations separated by |||.
• Preserves user language.
• Uses AND-only operators between terms.
• Adds sourcecountry/sourceregion and datetimes when implied.
• Sensitive-query guard:
  • The system prompt instructs Gemini to return the literal token INAPPROPRIATE_QUERY_DETECTED for sensitive topics (e.g., pornography, explicit adult content, certain religious questions flagged by policy).
  • The backend detects this and immediately returns a summary “I cannot respond to this query.” (status=blocked).

Example request body to backend:

{"query": "news about war in Ukraine"}

Bias Analysis

• Gemini returns bias categories and counts; one category is normalized to exactly “unbiased”.
• Reasoning text explains the categorization logic; this is appended after sources in the final summary.

Summarization

• Backend sends top URLs from all categories (including unbiased) to Gemini, labeled by category.
• Gemini instruction highlights:
  • Produce a concise factual answer first.
  • Then list SOURCES BY CATEGORY with up to 5 URLs per category.
  • Numbering restarts at 1 per category (1–5 for each).
  • After sources, append “REASONING:” with the bias-analysis reasoning string.
• The backend returns only the final formatted summary string; UI renders it verbatim.

Notes

• No Gemini model caching (cloud API).
• Local embedding model (SentenceTransformers) is cached once and reused.
• Optional whitelist filtering toggled via USE_WHITELIST_ONLY in .env.