AFCN FactLab 2025: 170+ Trainees in Pre- & Post-Publication Fact-checking Workshops 

 

June 1,2025

ARIJ’s Arab Fact-Checkers Network (AFCN) conducted two workshops, lasting 10 training hours and targeting over 170 journalists, university students, and many who were interested in the field of fact-checking. 

The first workshop, held on May 4, 2025 and attended by 100+ participants, was led by Fatima Bani Ahmad, Senior Fact-Checker at ARIJ. The training focused on the concepts of editorial pre-publication fact-checking, emphasizing the importance of integrated responsibilities within newsrooms and the necessity of accuracy at every stage of content preparation.

The second workshop was organized on June 1, 2025, and led by Baraa Al-Maani, fact-checker at ARIJ. This training focused on the technical and practical aspects of monitoring and fact-checking claims circulated post to publication, whether on media outlets or digital platforms.

The 2nd workshop, attended by over 70 participants, covered a range of basic verification skills and tools. It focused on explaining how to monitor claims and prioritize verification, using image and video verification tools, using GEOINT geolocation tools, and employing digital archiving techniques to retrieve deleted content.

Haidar Abdul Karim, an independent journalist from Sudan, states, “After this training, I will focus on fact-checking content published on social media, especially regarding the Sudan war. The process of post-publication fact-checking is very useful in my professional path, and I can use it to employ verified content in investigative reports.”

Independent Moroccan journalist, Zohour Baqi, added, “I have become more aware of the importance of post-publication fact-checking. Through the workshop, I learned how to track the impact of the content I write and how to verify if it has been distorted or taken out of context. I now possess tools of criticism to deal with mistakes in a responsible manner, without denial or defensiveness, which helps me maintain my credibility and enhance public trust in my work.”

The Yemeni journalist, Bakil Abdul Jalil, commented on the efforts of ARIJ’s AFCN, saying, “You have given a methodology and tools that enable us to verify information and taught us how to deal with these tools, in addition to the Chatbot that helps us many times in publishing correct content. Following and participating in AFCN activities is the best decision I have ever made, and I advise colleagues to take advantage of the services provided by AFCN in the professional and editorial aspect.”