ARIJ’s AFCN supports fact-checking during Arab elections
Amid the upcoming elections in the Arab world, where Jordan, Algeria, Kurdistan Region and Tunisia are preparing to vote in September and October 2024, the Arab Fact-Checkers Network (AFCN) from ARIJ organised a virtual session and a workshop aimed at supporting the efforts of ِArab fact-checking organisations/initiatives in combating the spread of mis/disinformation during this period, to ensure conducting transparent elections.
AFCN held the first virtual session on August 1st, titled “Fact-Checking the 2024 Africa and UK Elections with Full Fact AI Tools“. The session was attended by +20 fact-checkers from 10 Arab fact-checking organisations using Full Fact AI tools in Arabic language, supported by GNI.
During the session, Full Fact‘s Senior Product Manager Kate Wilkinson, and Africa Check’ Deputy Chief Editor Cayley Clifford, provided valuable insights to Arab fact-checking organisations.
During the session, the trainers shared their teams’ experiences during the fact-checking processes of the UK and South African elections in 2024, demonstrating how to best utilise Full Fact AI tools in Arabic to monitor and verify claims. Wilkinson encouraged Arab fact-checking organisations to develop a plan for using these tools.
The 2nd workshop held on August 8th under the title “Fact-Checking During Elections: Planning and Implementation“, saw the participation of 45+ fact-checkers from 13 fact-checking organisations representing 10 Arab countries. Participants were trained by AFCN manager, Saja Mortada, who provided essential advice for organisations and fact-checkers planning to fact-check elections, focusing on three key areas:
- Planning for election-related fact-checking.
- Evaluating election-related fact-checking efforts.
- Tools to support election-related fact-checking.
The three-hours workshop included active participation from the trainees, who shared their previous experiences. Mortada advised the AFCN community to maintain transparency and balance, stressing that adhering to the AFCN’s code of principles should be a priority in any fact-checking work to achieve the highest level of professionalism and avoid legal risks.
These efforts are part of AFCN’s ongoing support in developing the skills of the Arab fact-checking community and enhancing their ability to combat the spread of mis/disinformation, especially in election contexts where accuracy and high transparency in conveying facts are crucial.
Disclaimer: This press-release was written partially by using AI.
