Organization: AFP fact checking
Applicant: Gregoire Lemarchand
Assessor: Laurent Bigot
Edits made by the organization after this assessment
IFCN Staff wrote:
In response to criteria (5B) :
" We select content to investigate based on criteria including editorial interest, how widely something has been shared and whether it has entered public debate." (See Fact-checking at AFP). On the Contact page, we write: "If you wish to get in touch with the editors to make a suggestion for a fact-check, comment or point out an error, please leave a message below. Please see Fact-checking at AFP for more on how we select content."
In response to criteria (6A):
(See Methodology) "Corrections policy: If we make a factual error we will correct it and note it on the original item. This will be clearly marked as "CORRECTION" at the bottom of the article, with the date of the modification and an explanation. If the mistake is significant we will take down a story and leave an explanation. For clarifications or updates, we will use the "EDIT" mention at the bottom of a story." We have added a "Corrections" page to list past corrections.
The assessor deems that AFP Factuel made enough progress to be considered compliant on 5b and 6a
Conclusion and recommendations
Laurent Bigot wrote:
To sum up my assessment, I can tell that AFP Factuel blog needs to become compliant with more principles enacted by the IFCN, in order to be considered as an IFCN’s reliable partner.
AFP Factuel should invite readers to submit claims to fact-check more clearly and should explain what readers can legitimately expect will be fact-checked and what isn’t fact-checkable.
AFP Factuel team should also adopt a real public corrections policy
AFP Factuel should listed the corrections on a public page.
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.
AFP fact checking
27-Nov-2018 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
AFP has a distinct team and section for fact-checking working on four blogs in French (Factuel), English (Fact Check), Spanish (Factual) and Portuguese (Checamos). AFP is a legally registered press agency which has a unique status (“organisme autonome”) under French law (https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000315388)
Laurent Bigot Assessor
14-Jan-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
AFP Factuel is a distinct fact-checking section (with a blog) of Agence France Presse, a legally registered French press agency. AFP is a legally registered press agency which has a unique status of autonomous organization. All the evidence of its legal registration are presented in a link in the middle of the “A propos” page : https://factuel.afp.com/propos
We can find it directly the specific French law here : https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000315388
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.
AFP fact checking
27-Nov-2018 (5 years ago)
French: https://factuel.afp.com/
English: https://factcheck.afp.com/
Spanish: https://factual.afp.com/
Portuguese: https://checamos.afp.com/
Laurent Bigot Assessor
14-Jan-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
AFP Factuel publishes reports about the accuracy of news.
Its fact-checking section is a debunking section dedicated to fake news conveyed by Internet ans social networks.
Their work is presented in 4 languages here :
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.
AFP fact checking
27-Nov-2018 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
Overall standards are ensured by the observance of AFP’s own stringent Code of Editorial Standards (https://www.afp.com/sites/default/files/paragraphrich/201701/22_june_2016_afp_ethic.pdf) and AFP charter (https://www.afp.com/sites/default/files/paragraphrich/201604/12_april_2016_afp_charter_1.pdf).
Our fact checkers work in 13 AFP bureaus around the world, reporting to local news editors and bureau chiefs and working closely with AFP journalists. All fact checks and translations are overseen by regional fact-checking editors in Hong Kong, Paris, Washington DC and Montevideo, under the authority of the global editor-in-chief and global news director.
All claims are assessed the same way, starting with a specific question and a giving a factual answer, including links to evidence and sources throughout.
The head of social media and global fact-checking editor oversee the blogs and suggest translations and collaborations, in close discussion with the regional and language editors.
Fact checks are published on four language blogs and sometimes on the AFP news wire too.
Details of fact-checking at AFP can be found on this page of our blog:
French: https://factuel.afp.com/propos
English: https://factcheck.afp.com/fact-checking-afp
Spanish: https://factual.afp.com/verificacion-de-la-informacion-en-afp
Portuguese: https://checamos.afp.com/afp-e-verificacao-da-informacao-fact-checking
Ten fact checks that better represent the scope and consistency of your fact-checking:
English:
1. No, this is not a video of journalists staging migrants drowning: https://factcheck.afp.com/no-not-video-journalists-staging-migrants-drowning
2. No, these images do not show suffering Palestinians https://factcheck.afp.com/no-these-images-do-not-show-suffering-palestinians
3. No, late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos does not hold the Guinness World Record for being the "World's Most Brilliant President in History": http://u.afp.com/MarcosRecord
4. Flu shots in Canada: ingredients explained: https://factcheck.afp.com/flu-shots-canada-ingredients-explained
5. No, your heart won’t look like this from simply eating pork http://u.afp.com/porkheart
6. No, a Virginia principal did not expel two children for wearing crucifixes: https://factcheck.afp.com/no-virginia-principal-did-not-expel-two-children-wearing-crucifixes
7. False controversy around Canadian defence minister’s tweet: https://factcheck.afp.com/false-controversy-around-canadian-defence-ministers-tweet
8. A photo purported to show clouds glowing from raging California fires is actually a sunset in Hawaii http://u.afp.com/onFy
9. A death hoax about popular actor Michael J. Fox leads people to an imposter news website that Google warns is phishing for personal data http://u.afp.com/michaeljfox
10. Migrants did discard food in a Greek camp. But conditions were 'abhorrent', the UN reported https://factcheck.afp.com/migrants-did-discard-food-greek-camp-conditions-were-abhorrent-un-reported
French:
1. Non, les réfugiés au Canada ne reçoivent pas plus d’aide que les retraités: https://factuel.afp.com/non-les-refugies-au-canada-ne-recoivent-pas-plus-daide-que-les-retraites
2. Un éléphant porte un lionceau dans sa trompe ? Une fausse belle histoire https://factuel.afp.com/ElephantLionceau
3. L'expérimentation à 80km/h, revue --et un peu corrigée-- par l'AFP https://factuel.afp.com/lexperimentation-80kmh-revue-et-un-peu-corrigee-par-lafp
4. Non, cette fillette syrienne n’est ni une figurante mise en scène ni une rescapée de plusieurs attaques https://factuel.afp.com/non-cette-fillette-syrienne-nest-ni-une-figurante-mise-en-scene-ni-une-rescapee-de-plusieurs
5. En Allemagne, un interphone presque 100% étranger ? Itinéraire d'un photomontage https://factuel.afp.com/en-allemagne-un-interphone-presque-100-etranger-itineraire-dun-photomontage
6. Non, la présidente croate n'a pas vendu l'avion présidentiel et baissé son salaire de 30% https://factuel.afp.com/non-la-presidente-croate-na-pas-vendu-lavion-presidentiel-et-baisse-son-salaire-de-30
7. Gilets Jaunes : le vrai du faux d'un nouveau week-end de mobilisation https://factuel.afp.com//gilets-jaunes-le-vrai-du-faux-dun-nouveau-week-end-de-mobilisation
8. L'autorisation accordée à Total de forer en Guyane ? Une décision administrative plutôt qu'une obligation légale https://factuel.afp.com//lautorisation-accordee-total-de-forer-en-guyane-une-decision-administrative-plutot-quune-obligation
9. Si, pendant sa campagne, Emmanuel Macron s'était bien engagé sur le pouvoir d'achat https://factuel.afp.com//si-pendant-sa-campagne-emmanuel-macron-setait-bien-engage-sur-le-pouvoir-dachat
10. “Un hélicoptère français livre des armes à Boko Haram” : itinéraire d’une intox https://factuel.afp.com/un-helicoptere-francais-livre-des-armes-boko-haram-itineraire-dune-intox
Spanish:
2. https://factual.afp.com/no-no-son-policias-antidisturbios-colombianos-agrediendo-un-manifestante
5. https://factual.afp.com/no-esta-no-es-leche-de-vaca-para-consumo-humano
Portuguese:
2. https://checamos.afp.com/nao-o-pt-nao-esta-distribuindo-mamadeiras-eroticas-nas-creches
3. https://checamos.afp.com/nao-estas-fotos-nao-sao-da-franca-de-macron
6. https://checamos.afp.com/nao-dinamarca-nao-sera-100-organica-em-2020
10. https://checamos.afp.com/nao-este-video-nao-mostra-motoqueiros-apoiando-candidatura-de-bolsonaro
Laurent Bigot Assessor
14-Jan-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
AFP Factuel selected 10 fact-checks’ links to prove scope and consistency of its work :
1. Non, les réfugiés au Canada ne reçoivent pas plus d’aide que les retraités: https://factuel.afp.com/non-les-refugies-au-canada-ne-recoivent-pas-plus-daide-que-les-retraites
2. Un éléphant porte un lionceau dans sa trompe ? Une fausse belle histoire https://factuel.afp.com/ElephantLionceau
3. L'expérimentation à 80km/h, revue --et un peu corrigée-- par l'AFP https://factuel.afp.com/lexperimentation-80kmh-revue-et-un-peu-corrigee-par-lafp
4. Non, cette fillette syrienne n’est ni une figurante mise en scène ni une rescapée de plusieurs attaques https://factuel.afp.com/non-cette-fillette-syrienne-nest-ni-une-figurante-mise-en-scene-ni-une-rescapee-de-plusieurs
5. En Allemagne, un interphone presque 100% étranger ? Itinéraire d'un photomontage https://factuel.afp.com/en-allemagne-un-interphone-presque-100-etranger-itineraire-dun-photomontage
6. Non, la présidente croate n'a pas vendu l'avion présidentiel et baissé son salaire de 30% https://factuel.afp.com/non-la-presidente-croate-na-pas-vendu-lavion-presidentiel-et-baisse-son-salaire-de-30
7. Gilets Jaunes : le vrai du faux d'un nouveau week-end de mobilisation https://factuel.afp.com//gilets-jaunes-le-vrai-du-faux-dun-nouveau-week-end-de-mobilisation
8. L'autorisation accordée à Total de forer en Guyane ? Une décision administrative plutôt qu'une obligation légale https://factuel.afp.com//lautorisation-accordee-total-de-forer-en-guyane-une-decision-administrative-plutot-quune-obligation
9. Si, pendant sa campagne, Emmanuel Macron s'était bien engagé sur le pouvoir d'achat https://factuel.afp.com//si-pendant-sa-campagne-emmanuel-macron-setait-bien-engage-sur-le-pouvoir-dachat
10. “Un hélicoptère français livre des armes à Boko Haram” : itinéraire d’une intox https://factuel.afp.com/un-helicoptere-francais-livre-des-armes-boko-haram-itineraire-dune-intox
These examples demonstrate that AFP Factuel covers a variety of subjects or speakers and do not unduly concentrate on one side of the topic/context they fact-check.
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.
AFP fact checking
27-Nov-2018 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
AFP’s Code of editorial standards states that all staff activities outside the agency must remain strictly separated from their work: “AFP understands that its staff members will engage in such external activities as community affairs, politics, support for social or other causes, independent writing including books and online projects. While the Agency respects staff members’ freedom to do so, there must be a clear separation between what is done in a personal capacity and in a professional capacity. It is reasonable to identify ourselves as working for AFP, but the Agency’s name should not be used for promotion or in campaigning, and the Agency should be informed. We must do nothing that might cast doubt on our ability to provide unbiased coverage or that impinges on the Agency’s reputation for impartiality. Nothing in this is intended to restrict AFP journalists from engaging in these activities; the aim is to ensure that outside interests do not come into conflict with AFP's interests or reputation.”
Laurent Bigot Assessor
14-Jan-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
To explain its policies to preserve its non-partisan way of fact-checking claims, AFP Factuel mentions the AFP's Code of editorial standards :
“AFP understands that its staff members will engage in such external activities as community affairs, politics, support for social or other causes, independent writing including books and online projects. While the Agency respects staff members’ freedom to do so, there must be a clear separation between what is done in a personal capacity and in a professional capacity. It is reasonable to identify ourselves as working for AFP, but the Agency’s name should not be used for promotion or in campaigning, and the Agency should be informed. We must do nothing that might cast doubt on our ability to provide unbiased coverage or that impinges on the Agency’s reputation for impartiality. Nothing in this is intended to restrict AFP journalists from engaging in these activities; the aim is to ensure that outside interests do not come into conflict with AFP's interests or reputation.”
According to my assessment, I can tell that AFP Factual do not seem to support a candidate in any elections nor to advocate or take policy positions on any issues not strictly related to fact-checking.
The AFP's Code of Editorial Standards is here : https://www.afp.com/sites/default/files/paragraphrich/201701/22_june_2016_afp_ethic.pdf
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.
AFP fact checking
27-Nov-2018 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
Our editors start by trying to contact the person behind a claim, as well as checking with our own archives and journalists. We seek non-partisan, publicly available information in our investigations, and link to websites or online documents to illustrate where this has been used. We seek specialist advice from identifiable sources where necessary. We name and illustrate online tools that we use to carry out visual verification, such as INVID or Google Reverse Image Search. We seek previous posts of online images that have been used in false contexts and, where possible, locate and cite the original author.
Laurent Bigot Assessor
14-Jan-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
AFP Factuel staff has a real policy on sources. It evokes, in the IFCN application document:
“Our editors start by trying to contact the person behind a claim, as well as checking with our own archives and journalists. We seek non-partisan, publicly available information in our investigations, and link to websites or online documents to illustrate where this has been used. We seek specialist advice from identifiable sources where necessary. We name and illustrate online tools that we use to carry out visual verification, such as INVID or Google Reverse Image Search. We seek previous posts of online images that have been used in false contexts and, where possible, locate and cite the original author. )”
Our assessment allows us to say that the way AFP Factuel fact-checks permits the public to verify their findings themselves. Here is a link to an article that contains a lot of links :
https://factuel.afp.com/non-ousmane-sonko-na-pas-recu-195000-dollars-de-la-part-dune-societe-petroliere-britannique
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.
AFP fact checking
27-Nov-2018 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
AFP’s fact checking is part of the newsroom activity of AFP. The company itself has a unique status under a French law (see above). AFP resources are both commercial (around two thirds) and from a French government subsidy to support impartial, public interest journalism in France and abroad.
Laurent Bigot Assessor
14-Jan-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
AFP Factuel has no specific section to detail their sources of funding. They only explains to the IFCN :
"AFP’s fact checking is part of the newsroom activity of AFP. The company itself has a unique status under a French law (see above). AFP resources are both commercial (around two thirds) and from a French government subsidy to support impartial, public interest journalism in France and abroad."
Our assessment allows us to say that AFP Factuel is a blog that is part of the French press agency AFP. Everything is explained in the AFP Factuel blog here : https://factuel.afp.com/propos
And also in a specific French law here : https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000315388
But without any detail.
done 4a marked as Partially 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.
AFP fact checking
27-Nov-2018 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
Laurent Bigot Assessor
14-Jan-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
There’s a section (on the AFP Factuel blog) detailing authors behind the project and their biographies here:
https://factuel.afp.com/qui-sommes-nous
This section only exists in the French version of the blog. The English, the Portuguese and the Spanish versions don't mention any details about the authors.
https://factcheck.afp.com/who-are-we
done_all 4b marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Criterion 4c
Contact
Evidence required: Please link to the section where readers can get in touch with the organization.
AFP fact checking
27-Nov-2018 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
Laurent Bigot Assessor
14-Jan-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
It’s quite easy for readers to contact the AFP Factuel team : they can use the page called “Contact”, here :
https://factuel.afp.com/contact
https://factcheck.afp.com/contact
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.
AFP fact checking
27-Nov-2018 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
Laurent Bigot Assessor
14-Jan-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
There’s a place on the blog where it’s possible to read an explanation about AFP Factuel work, with a lot of details, here : https://factuel.afp.com/fact-checking-comment-nous-travaillons
The English, the Portuguese and the Spanish versions don't mention as many details about the methodology.
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.
AFP fact checking
27-Nov-2018 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
Laurent Bigot Assessor
14-Jan-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
There’s no dedicated page to invite readers to submit claims to fact-check in the AFP Factuel blog. There's only a "contact" form.
And there's no indication about what readers can legitimately expect will be fact-checked and what isn’t fact-checkable.
https://factcheck.afp.com/contact
https://factuel.afp.com/contact
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.
AFP fact checking
27-Nov-2018 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
AFP’s editorial standards and best practices (see above) states that the agency “must correct errors quickly and transparently. The Agency does not set a time limit on corrections - even if days or weeks have passed, factual errors must be corrected and if necessary, the story killed and removed from the database. When in doubt, the journalist should contact the chief editor and legal department for advice.”
Laurent Bigot Assessor
14-Jan-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
AFP Factuel team has no real public corrections policy.
They only explain that :
“AFP’s editorial standards and best practices states that the agency “must correct errors quickly and transparently. The Agency does not set a time limit on corrections - even if days or weeks have passed, factual errors must be corrected and if necessary, the story killed and removed from the database. When in doubt, the journalist should contact the chief editor and legal department for advice.”"
done_all 6a marked as Fully 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.
AFP fact checking
27-Nov-2018 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
We withdrew this factcheck because it was published without enough evidence to support it: https://factual.afp.com/trump-increpo-santos-por-preocuparse-mas-por-los-guerrilleros-que-por-los-estadounidenses-nada
We corrected the date of the crash and noted the correction at the bottom of this page: https://factcheck.afp.com/no-not-photo-baby-who-survived-deadly-lion-air-plane-crash-indonesia
Laurent Bigot Assessor
14-Jan-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
It seems that AFP Factuel has just one example of implementation of its correction policy to provide.
They corrected the date of the crash and mentioned the correction at the bottom of this page:
https://factcheck.afp.com/no-not-photo-baby-who-survived-deadly-lion-air-plane-crash-indonesia