Misinformation is no longer a topic of interest for the International Fact-Checking Network’s signatories — it is a focal point for a global news story. As false information (from individuals, from governments) spreads wildly and rapidly amid the Russian-Ukrainian war, fact-checking organizations are uniquely positioned to inform and educate readers about its harm.
The theme for International Fact-Checking Day 2022 was #FactCheckingIsEssential. This message was repeated throughout social media over the weekend in hundreds of languages:
Tärppejä #faktantarkistuspäivä‘n 👇
🌎🌏🌍@factchecknet kampanjoi #informaatiosota vuoksi koko viikon#FactCheckingIsEssential #informaatiolukutaitoSeuraa #ukrainefacts @nordishub @EDMO_EUI @firstdraftnews – ole tärkeä 🫵 osa #faktantakistus‘liikettähttps://t.co/0FJmhWhBAs
— Faktabaari (@Faktabaari) April 2, 2022
📢Don’t believe everything you see or read on social media. Remember to always have your antennas up so you can spot the fake.
Happy International Fact-Checking Day to y’all. #FactCheckingIsEssential pic.twitter.com/NDCZtreuwj
— GhanaFact (@ghana_fact) April 2, 2022
View this post on Instagram
Other fact-checking organizations went the media literacy route. AFP Fact-Check Germany created a helpful video on how to effectively fact-check information on Twitter:
Heute ist Internationaler #FactCheckingDay. Zu diesem Anlass möchte die Faktencheck-Redaktion von @AFPde Ihnen einige wichtige Tipps mit an die Hand geben, um auch auf Twitter effektiv Informationen überprüfen zu können. #FactCheckingIsEssential pic.twitter.com/jiCb11BhKY
— AFP Faktencheck (@AFPfaktencheck) April 2, 2022
Dubawa, an independent fact-checker based in Nigeria, explains how to identify doctored video when you come across it:
#FactCheckingisEssential because videos are one of the fastest ways to spread misinformation. Videos can either be taken out of context or edited to fit a false narrative.
It is important to know how to spot “fake news” in videos. Here’s how⤵️#DubawaChecks#FactcheckingDay pic.twitter.com/8PD2mzSmPo
— Dubawa (@dubawaNG) April 2, 2022
Turkish fact-checker Teyit promoted Digital Parent, their newsletter that teaches parents the skills to raise children in the digital age.
‼️ Sosyal medyada karşılaşılan hassas görüntüler çocuklar üzerinde kısa ve uzun vadede etkilere yol açıyor.
Şiddet görüntüleri çocuklar üzerinde kısa vadede saldırgan ve öfkeli duyguları tetiklerken, uzun vadede empati eksikliği ya da duyarsızlaşma gibi sonuçlar doğuruyor. pic.twitter.com/1uEm85rISW
— Teyit (@teyitorg) April 3, 2022
Factly India shows how the fact-checking process works:
#FactCheckingIsEssential on 2nd April, International Fact-Checking Day, and every other day!
Here’s a sneak peek into the process of fact-checking but more importantly, learn how you can equip yourself with this essential life skill @factchecknet #factcheckingday #fakenews pic.twitter.com/HtQ1zuMR4I— Factly (@FactlyIndia) April 2, 2022
And The Quint, an English and Hindi language news outlet and IFCN fact-checker in India, shared how readers can send dubious claims their way through WhatsApp:
View this post on Instagram
Folks who are not part of the IFCN got into the spirit of things. The European Union Commission shared a “think before you share” message:
Today is International Fact-Checking Day.
Now more than ever, #FactCheckingisEssential.
When in doubt about a source, don’t share. #EUvsDisinfo— European Commission 🇪🇺 (@EU_Commission) April 2, 2022
An information researcher in Canada shared the importance of science shaping the health decisions we make:
Every day we face mis- and disinformation that can hinder our understanding of facts and mislead our choices. #Science is our best tool to cut through the noise and help us make good decisions for our lives. #FactCheckingDay pic.twitter.com/EmriB4rAds
— Dr. Mona Nemer (@ChiefSciCan) April 2, 2022
Want to follow the IFCN’s signatories? Follow Poynter’s Twitter list of verified signatories.
There is still time to participate in International Fact-Checking Day! Check out Poynter’s foolproof guide to living your best fact-filled life.
