The Significance of Integrating AFCN Fact-Checking Lab into the WPFD Newsroom

Saja Mortada, AFCN Manager

The story started from summer 2023. One year ago. It was June 2023, and preparations for the ARIJ annual forum in Amman, Jordan kicked off. That year, a significant focus was placed on the Arab Fact-checkers Network (AFCN) Track, which aimed to tackle AI and climate change fact-checking. During the forum, a specialised fact-checking lab was planned to coincide with COP28 in the UAE, bringing together Arab and European fact-checkers to address misinformation related to climate change.

Despite applying the idea to several partners/donors and getting no interest and/or rejections, and facing funding challenges, ARIJ’s AFCN forged ahead with the initiative, successfully hosting a two-day lab with 10 fact-checkers (5 European and 5 Arabs) and 2 coaches dedicated to fact-checking COP28 content in a very cooperative environment, on November 29 and 30, 2023. The European countries included Spain, Lithuania, Poland, Georgia & Uk, and the Arab countries included Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Yemen. 

A UNESCO representative, Ma’aly Hazzaz, the Coordinator of the Multi Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and the Safety of Journalists, was impressed by the lab during her visit to the lab while participating in ARIJ23 Forum, and proposed replicating the model as part of the international youth newsroom of the 2024 World Press Freedom Day conference in Santiago, Chile, which was themed “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis”.

This small concept has expanded into an international initiative. Preparations for the lab were initiated in early 2024, led by AFCN manager Saja Mortada, and included selecting four fact-checkers globally. This included at the end: AFCN in Jordan, Maldita in Spain, The Cable in Nigeria, and Fast Check in Chile. 

This group diligently prepared for two-months for the lab that was integrated into a diverse newsroom of 25+ journalists, influencers, students, and climate activists. Their efforts focused on three main areas: training the conference newsroom in fact-checking, pre-fact-checking all newsroom content during the conference, and creating awareness materials on fact-checking and climate change.

On April 26, the team conducted an online training session on fact-checking for the newsroom, introducing the concepts of “information disorder” and “pre-publication fact-checking.” This was a novel approach for all participants, who are from diverse backgrounds, languages, regions, and countries.

The importance of this training became even more apparent during an in-person workshop held by AFCN on May 2 in Santiago. This session, focusing on post-publication fact-checking methodology, verification tools, AI misinformation, and climate change misinformation, was the first of its kind for the attendees. Participants found it particularly unique and valuable, recognizing its relevance and necessity for their career and professional development.

Following the introduction to the fact-checking concept and verification tools, the 25+ newsroom participants engaged with the fact-checking team during the two conference days (May 3,4). During this time, the team fact-checked all content produced during the conference, including articles, reports, videos, graphics, and social media content. 

Over the course of the two days, in addition to their regular fact-checking duties, our team focused on further educating the participants about fact-checking techniques. They also developed a variety of awareness content in Arabic, English & Spanish, including videos on topics such as: fact-checking tips for climate change, the role of influencers in combating misinformation, reliable resources on climate change, and an interactive false-true game designed to highlight climate change misinformation.

Pre-fact-checking the content of an international conference newsroom and training its participants on fact-checking were very critical steps in maintaining the integrity and accuracy of the information disseminated during the forum, reducing the risk of spreading false or misleading content.

Training the newsroom participants in fact-checking equips them with critical thinking skills necessary to question and verify the validity of information they encounter or produce, in addition to enhancing their skills, making them more competent journalists, students and influencers.

Moreover, conducting these activities within a diverse group from various countries, backgrounds, and languages promoted a culture of collaborative learning and mutual responsibility for content integrity.

The AFCN fact-checking team benefited greatly from these interactions, learning not only about new skills and tools but also about each other’s organisational stories, challenges, and aspirations within the fact-checking realm.

For instance, during the lab, we discovered the story of “Fast Check CL” which began as an Instagram page during the Chile protests in 2019 and has since become the first IFCN signatory in Chile. We also gained insights into their annual fact-checking of the Chilean president’s speeches, Maldita’s strategies for diversifying its content and audience, and “The Cable” role in the broader African fact-checking community.

Most importantly, these experiences highlighted how we could enhance the impact of our fact-checking efforts, spread the concept more globally, and foster effective collaboration despite our diverse backgrounds, countries, and languages.

Lanre Olagunju from “The Cable” said: “These three days were filled with hard work, camaraderie, and enthusiasm, despite the exhaustion from extensive travel. But the experience? Absolutely worth it!”.

From her side, Isidora Osoriom from “Fast Check” mentioned that she is “grateful to have lived this beautiful experience. I am left with a full heart and new friends”.

This outstanding experience emphasised to AFCN the critical need to promote the concept of fact-checking among influencers and students, not just journalists. It highlighted the necessity of integrating fact-checking into the content creation process of any conference newsroom. Additionally, it underlined the significance of cross-border collaborative efforts in enhancing the impact and accessibility of fact-checking worldwide and the need for international partners to support this.