After two years of interruption, Global Fact 9 will take place in Norway, at the Oslo Metropolitan University’s City Center Campus, from June 22-25, 2022. It is organized by the International Fact-Checking Network in partnership with Norwegian fact-checking organization Faktisk.no; OsloMET University; the journalism training institute Institutt for Journalistikk and the foundation for investigative journalism, SKUP.
The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way fact-checkers share experiences, learn from each other and discuss the future of fact-checking. Last year, Global Fact was one of the first journalism conferences that announced it would organize its yearly gathering in a virtual setting. The Virtual Global Fact brought together more than 150 speakers from more than 40 different countries between June 22 and July 1, 2020, to discuss the state and the future of fact-checking amidst a pandemic and the infodemic attached to it.
“We are truly excited to be able to announce the first in-person Global Fact after two years of virtual gatherings thanks to the promising — yet still slow — vaccine rollouts,” said IFCN director Baybars Örsek. “There was an expectation among the fact-checking community to do a hybrid conference this year, but unfortunately the global vaccine rollout hasn’t been ideally widespread enough to invite participants to an in-person gathering.”
Örsek added that the IFCN fully expects the global community to widen the distribution and the availability of COVID-19 vaccines before the fact-checking community meets again in-person in 2022.
Faktisk editor-in-chief Kristoffer Egeberg celebrated the return of the Global Fact conference to Norway after a two-year delay.
“This last year has really shown the world how important our fight against disinformation is. Global Fact is where we build our community and strength together, exchanging experiences, best practices and the latest in research. It is such an honor to host this in Oslo next summer,” Egeberg said.
Global Fact will run four tracks in its ninth edition:
- Academic Track, in partnership with Oslo Metropolitan University.
- A call for papers will be announced in partnership with the Digital Journalism Research Group at Oslo Metropolitan University. Global Fact 9 will host presentations by scholars on misinformation, online trust, information integrity and related topics.
- Editorial Track
- The flagship track of Global Fact conferences will again bring practitioners together to foster discussions on fact-checking, verification, newsroom economics and management.
- Developers Track
- Participants will discuss such topics as automated fact-checking, the role of artificial intelligence, the ethics of algorithms, as well as tools and products for fact-checking on dark social and closed messaging apps.
- Executive Track
- Executives of fact-checking organizations will be offered mentoring and coaching sessions from industry leaders to help them grow their leadership skills in management, fundraising, partnerships and teamwork.
In addition to the above, Global Fact 9 in Oslo will bring together participants from diverse backgrounds and utilize networking opportunities.
Save the date!
Global Fact 9 is still more than a year ahead (June 22-25, 2022) however, organizers of the conference strongly suggest saving the date for planning purposes given the anticipated increased travel requirements in 2022.
Virtual Global Fact (8) between October 21-23, 2021
The International Fact-Checking Network will offer a three-day virtual conference between Oct. 21 and 23. The first two days will bring together fact-checkers, journalists, researchers and industry experts in the forms of panel discussions and featured talks. The third day will focus on building skills on fact-checking, verification, compliance to IFCN’s Code of Principles and other essential information for fact-checkers.
Additional information will follow on how to register for this year’s virtual Global Fact.
About Global Fact
Global Fact is an annual conference hosted and organized by the International Fact-Checking Network. It has doubled in size every two years since its first session in London in 2014 and has become the premier gathering point to discuss the practice of fact-checking.
The last in-person Global Fact was held in Cape Town from June 19-21, 2019. It brought together 241 participants from 55 countries around the world. The agenda included sessions about academic research on fact-checking, collaborative efforts around the world and automation. In 2020, the first ever virtual Global Fact brought more than 150 speakers from more than 40 different countries to discuss the state and the future of fact-checking amid a pandemic and an infodemic. 50 sessions were organized during the weeklong virtual conference between June 22 and July 1, 2020.
