Organization: 20 Minutes Fake off
Applicant: Mathilde Cousin
Assessor: Laurent Bigot
Edits made by the organization after this assessment
IFCN Staff wrote:
Conclusion and recommendations
Laurent Bigot wrote:
According to my assessment, I think 20 Minutes is now partially or completely compliant with the large majority of the principles enacted by the IFCN.
The "Fake Off" section should only complete its page with the entire staff and create a a public page listing all corrections made.
Laurent Bigot recommended Accept with edits
Section 1: Organization
Criterion 1a
Proof of registration
Evidence required: Please provide evidence that the signatory is a legally-registered organization set up exclusively for the purpose of fact-checking or the distinct fact-checking project of a recognized media house or research institution.
20 Minutes Fake off
23-Oct-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
We conducted Fact checking on a daily basis in our Fake Off section, Mathilde Cousin is particularly in charge for the section and we recently hired a full-time new reporter Alexis Orsini to strengthen the team. Into the bargain the entire newsroom (national and our local editorial teams) produce fact-checking. Our articles are featured in the section Fake off of our print newspaper and website https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/
20 Minutes is a legally registered French media outlet.: http://www.20minutes.fr/mentions.php
Laurent Bigot Assessor
04-Nov-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
"Fake Off" is the distinct fact-checking section of a legally registered French media outlet called "20 Minutes".
All the evidence of its legal registration are presented in the “Mentions légales”, through its RCS number and its presentation, here: http://www.20minutes.fr/mentions.php
done_all 1a marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Criterion 1b
Archive
Evidence required: Insert a link to the archive of fact checks published in the previous three months. If you do not collect all fact checks in one place, please explain how the fact-checking is conducted by your organization.
20 Minutes Fake off
23-Oct-2018 (6 years ago)
Our fact-checking are available on a dedicated section in our website https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/ and also in a dedicated section in our print newspaper.This section is also providing some email contacts, biographies of fact-checking leading team and tips to identify hoax and rumors.
Laurent Bigot Assessor
04-Nov-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
"Fake Off" publishes reports that evaluate one or two distinct claims per day exclusively on the basis of their accuracy.
We can find them in its specific section here : https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/
done_all 1b marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Section 2: Nonpartisanship and Fairness
Criterion 2a
Body of work sample
Evidence required: Please share links to ten fact checks that better represent the scope and consistency of your fact-checking. Provide a short explanation of how your organization strives to maintain coherent standards across fact checks.
20 Minutes Fake off
23-Oct-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
20 minutes has adopted a chart stipulating firmly its non-partisan and unbiased orientation. https://www.20minutes.fr/medias/8110-20060220-charte-20minutes We cross sources, meta-datas to fact-check hoaxes and rumors. Our team of Community managers and fact-checkers can directly interact with internet users to stop rumours. Our team of moderators (Netino) works on deleting fake pictures and news posted on comments. An email adress fakeoff@20minutes.fr and a dedicated twitter https://twitter.com/20minFakeOff provide us remarks, comments and questions of our readers. We try to offer transparency of our work with step-by-step fact checking, links for sources.
https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/2335075-20180912-non-arabe-va-devenir-obligatoire-ecole-primaire
https://www.20minutes.fr/politique/2352667-20181011-non-brigitte-macron-menti-age
https://www.20minutes.fr/monde/2346171-20181002-oui-nonnes-bien-danse-concert-metal
https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/2356243-20181017-aude-non-inondations-provoquees-ouverture-barrages
Laurent Bigot Assessor
04-Nov-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
20 Minutes selected 10 fact-checks’ links to prove scope and consistency of its work…
In several fact-checks, I notice that 20 minutes covers a variety of speakers (Emmanuel Macron, Laurent Wauquiez, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Gérald Darmanin).
So there’s no bias problem in this media work.
done_all 2a marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Criterion 2b
Nonpartisanship policy
Evidence required: Please share evidence of your policy preventing staff from direct involvement in political parties and advocacy organizations. Please also indicate the policy your organization has as a whole regarding advocacy and supporting political candidates.
20 Minutes Fake off
23-Oct-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
Our chart is very clear about political neutrality
https://www.20minutes.fr/medias/8110-20060220-charte-20minutes "L’indépendance et la neutralité politiques et religieuses sont dans les fondements même de la pratique éditoriale de 20Minutes." and "Dans le respect de cette ligne de conduite et de ces principes, 20Minutes s’oblige à l’impartialité et en conséquence à un traitement non partisan de l’information."
During the presidential race, for example, we do our best to have an equal treatment for each candidate.
Laurent Bigot Assessor
04-Nov-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
"20 Minutes" has got a code of ethics, published here: http://www.20minutes.fr/medias/8110-20060220-charte-20minutes
It explains : "Political and religious independence and neutrality are in the very foundation of the 20 Minutes editorial practice" and "In keeping with this line of conduct and these principles, 20Minutes is committed to impartiality and therefore non-partisan treatment of information."
According to my assessment, I can tell that 20 Minutes does not seem to support a candidate in any election nor advocate or take policy positions on any issues not strictly related to fact-checking.
done_all 2b marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Section 3: Transparency of Sources
Criterion 3a
Sources Policy
Please share a brief and public explanation (500 words max) of how sources are provided in enough detail that readers could replicate the fact check. If you have a public policy on how you find and use sources for your fact-checking, it should be shared here.
20 Minutes Fake off
23-Oct-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
We used to embed and link to the sources on our articles. Therefore the readers could easily replicate the fact-checking by simply clicking on sources and embed (officiel twitter account like National Police in case of terrorist attacks etc.). On the "desintox" section of our website, we tried to give a step-by-step fact checking in order to give some keys to the reader to replicate the FC. We also profide tutorial videos for helping readers to identify fake news. https://www.20minutes.fr/high-tech/2246663-20180402-video-fact-checking-trois-conseils-identifier-image-internet Into the bargain, we have a strict policy on anonymous sources, explained in our chart.
https://www.20minutes.fr/medias/8110-20060220-charte-20minutes
Laurent Bigot Assessor
04-Nov-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
The 20 Minutes’ staff evokes its policy on sources in the IFCN application document. Fake Off uses to embed and link to the sources on their articles and readers can easily replicate the fact-checking by simply clicking on sources and embed.
Our assessment allows us to say that 20 Minutes links regularly to the sources of the claim they fact-check and the evidence they use to fact-check.
done_all 3a marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Section 4: Transparency of Funding & Organization
Criterion 4a
Funding Sources
Evidence required: Please link to the section where you publicly list your sources of funding (including, if they exist, any rules around which types of funding you do or don't accept), or a statement on ownership if you are the branch of an established media organization or research institution.
20 Minutes Fake off
23-Oct-2018 (6 years ago)
20 Minutes’ ownership is detailed here: https://www.20minutes.fr/mentions
Laurent Bigot Assessor
04-Nov-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
20 Minutes’ ownership is detailed here: http://www.20minutes.fr/mentions.php
This page explains that the main shareholders of 20 Minutes are Sofiouest and Rossel France Investissement. These shareholders are well known European media players…
done_all 4a marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Criterion 4b
Staff
Evidence required: Please link to the section detailing all authors and key actors behind your fact-checking project with their biographies. You can also list the name and bios of the members of the editorial board, pool of experts, advisory board, etc. if your organization has those.
20 Minutes Fake off
23-Oct-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
Biographies are available here. https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/
Laurent Bigot Assessor
04-Nov-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
In the 20 Minutes’ fact-checking section, there’s a place detailing the identity of the two main authors behind the project and their biographies: Anne Kerloc'h, Social Media Editor and Deputy Editor in Chief, and Mathilde Cousin, reporter and journalist, who is particularly in charge for the section
Their biographies are available here: http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/
But it seems that there's another journalist, recently hired by 20 Minutes : Alexis Orsini. His biographie is not listed in the fact-checking section.
done 4b marked as Partially compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Criterion 4c
Contact
Evidence required: Please link to the section where readers can get in touch with the organization.
20 Minutes Fake off
23-Oct-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
https://www.20minutes.fr/contact + fakeoff@20minutes.fr (and chatbot messenger on Facebook page) + contact on Desintox section https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/ + twitter https://twitter.com/20minFakeOff
Laurent Bigot Assessor
04-Nov-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
It’s easy for readers to contact "Fake Off": they can use the page called “contact” (the link is at the bottom of each page: http://www.20minutes.fr/contact) and its contact form.
And there’s a new specific e-mail address to contact the fact-checking team: fakeoff@20minutes.fr
(+ a chatbot messenger on Facebook page + twitter https://twitter.com/20minFakeOff)
done_all 4c marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Section 5: Transparency of Methodology
Criterion 5a
Detailed Methodology
Evidence required: Please link to a section or article detailing the steps you follow for your fact-checking work.
20 Minutes Fake off
23-Oct-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
20 Minutes published several articles on methodology that explains to our readers how they choose claims to fact-check and what evidence they deem most reliable. We can find it here : http://www.20minutes.fr/high-tech/2135311-20170919-comment-reperer-fake-news
https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/2131991-20170913-fausses-alertes-enlevement-comment-reconnaitre
and some videos for example https://www.20minutes.fr/high-tech/2246663-20180402-video-fact-checking-trois-conseils-identifier-image-internet
Laurent Bigot Assessor
04-Nov-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
The "Fake Off" team explains its fact-checking methodology publicly and clearly here : https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/
We can find easily three specific links dedicated to explain its work :
http://www.20minutes.fr/high-tech/2135311-20170919-comment-reperer-fake-news
https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/2131991-20170913-fausses-alertes-enlevement-comment-reconnaitre
done_all 5a marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Criterion 5b
Claim submissions
Evidence required: Please link to the page or process through which readers can submit claims to fact-check. If you do not allow this, please briefly explain why.
20 Minutes Fake off
23-Oct-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
Readers can submit claims by many means : https://www.20minutes.fr/contact + fakeoff@20minutes.fr + contact on Desintox section https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/ + twitter https://twitter.com/20minFakeOff . We answer with links to articles when they have already been published, or that the claim will be soon fact checked.
Laurent Bigot Assessor
04-Nov-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
There are a lot of ways to submit claims to fact-check on 20 Minutes web site:
- at the bottom of each page : http://www.20minutes.fr/contact
- in the "Fake Off" section https://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/ : a form (http://www.20minutes.fr/contact) and an e-mail fakeoff@20minutes.fr
+ twitter https://twitter.com/20minFakeOff
done_all 5b marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Section 6: Open & Honest Corrections Policy
Criterion 6a
Corrections policy
Evidence required: Please link to the page with your policy to address corrections. If it is not public, please share your organization's handbook.
20 Minutes Fake off
23-Oct-2018 (6 years ago)
20 Minutes published an explanation about their corrections policy, in the same page as their methodology, here: http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/
20 Minutes has a public corrections policy here: http://www.20minutes.fr/article/8110/La-Charte-20.php
We do have an organization's handbook. See attached
Laurent Bigot Assessor
04-Nov-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
"Fake Off" has a public corrections policy mentionned here : http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/
"Inaccuracies, errors in an article will be rectified as soon as possible once reported. A mention will be affixed on the article in case of publication of an erroneous information with the update and rectification at the top of the article. Communication will also take place (update) on social networks."
"20 Minutes" has also a code of ethics here: http://www.20minutes.fr/article/8110/La-Charte-20.php
But it only explains :
"If erroneous information has been published, it must be corrected as soon as possible. if a information is false, the website has to correct it faster…"
It doesn’t evoke the transparency of the correction.
done 6a marked as Partially compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Criterion 6b
Examples of corrections
Evidence required: Please provide two examples of a correction made, or correction requests handled, in the past year.
20 Minutes Fake off
23-Oct-2018 (6 years ago)
Laurent Bigot Assessor
04-Nov-2018 (6 years ago) Updated: 6 years ago
20 Minutes and Fake Off have two clear examples of implementation of their correction and “edit” policy to provide:
https://www.20minutes.fr/culture/2143547-20171002-rocker-tom-petty-vraiment-mort
But there's no public page listing these corrections...