On the "About us" option, all informations about our organization are available. Our funding, and our registration number. It's clearly and transparently accessible.

Here the link: https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/ 

Congo Check is a legally registered organization.

All the evidences of its legal registration are presented in the “A propos” section here:

https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/

Cong Check is headquartered in Quartier Les Volcans 119, avenue boulevard Kanyamuhanga, GOMA / NORD KIVU (Democratic Republic of Congo) and is registered in the trade and companies register under number F92 / 37.153.

Information about the status of Africa Check is set out clearly, and quick to find.

On the "About us" option, all informations about our organization are available. Our funding, and our registration number. It's clearly and transparently accessible.

Here the link: 1. We created Congo Check in 2018, when the DRC was facing 2 situations : elections and massacres of people in Beni. We knew that there'll be manipulations and fake news in that period, and there was not any media specialized in verification on fact. In Beni, some people have been using fake pictures of massacre, and publish it on social medias. Their aim was to ask for the international community help. But they have been using a wrong way of sensibilisation: fake pictures. The risk of this way to do is that the international community, when they see that picture dont come from Beni, they could think that the situation in Beni is not that much dramatical as they say. Because pictures used comes from other countries.

These two reasons led us to create a media that will protect Congolese from fake news, and that will tell the real reality of our country.

2. We do have 24 people working as free-lancers and not only volunteers, since we got funding from Facebook, as 3rd Party fact-checkers. Their role is to help in investigation, write articles, look for misinformation online, on radios and TV and in the community.

3. Our principal activity is fact-checking. But we have launched cong Check Academy, a learning center for journalists. We train, for free, journalists in fact-checking. The last training session was in the region of Beni. With the logistical help of United Nations, 32 journalists got trained in Beni and Butembo, by Congo Check Academy. We are, also, working on the first radio that will be launched soon. Mtetezi FM will be a topic media, focused on human rights. We will be also a 24h information radio, with programs of fact-checking.

4. Our goals is : create a financially independent, sustainable an innovatice structure (Congo Check, Congo Check Academy and Mtetezi FM radio). Our academy will sign partnership with schools of journalism in France, so our trainings and diplomas will be recognized by these schools. The schools will be sending us their teachers too. We hope the 3 activities will ensure and maintain our independence. It's important for fact-checking organization, to be independent, financially. https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/ 

Congo Check was set up in 2018, exclusively for the purpose of fact-checking, across DRC. Its team (24 free-lancers) works in French.

Congo Check also launched Congo Check Academy, a learning center to train journalists in fact-checking for free. And Congo Check launched a radio, Mtetezi FM .

The answers provided by the leaders of Congo Check seem trustworthy.

https://www.congocheck.net/ 

We publish around 80 articles each month. This is verifiable on our website.

Congo Check team says it has published 80 fact checks per month during the previous six months. In view of what we have observed, it's right.

According to our assessment, the fact-checking articles of Congo Check are in line with IFCN's expectations.

We find that these fact checks deal in majority (more than 75%) with “public interest” issues that “relate to or could have an impact on the well-being of individuals, the general public or society”.

We do not accept or receive any funding from any state or political actors in countries we cover. Our politics are clear : Congo Check do not accept any founds from politics, politicians or political parties. It's clearly written here : https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/                                         

The applicant’s editorial output is not, for us, controlled by the state, a political party or politician.

Congo Check sets out how the team ensure the editorial independence of its work, here :

https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/

And the team explains clearly : "Congo Check receives no financial support from the Congolese government, political leaders or political parties. This is to ensure his independence."

We do not.

No funding from local or foreign state or political sources.

Recently, war broke out in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is led by rebels of the M23 group. They are mostly Tutsi, and this tribe of Congo speaks Kinyarwanda. This has led people to stigmatize anyone who speaks Rwandan and put individuals in danger just because of their morphology. Our teams have worked hard to combat mis and disinformation (fakenews) that have arisen from this situation. We showed the real facts related to Rwanda and Congo in this war! Without any preference!

We also worked on electoral issues, many fakenews from opposition side and people on power.

https://congocheck.net/non-felix-tshisekedi-na-pas-reporte-la-construction-du-pays-pour-fevrier-2023/ 

https://congocheck.net/images-de-2019-faussement-montrees-comme-celles-des-militaires-rwandais-tues-en-rdc/ 

https://congocheck.net/non-gims-nest-pas-le-premier-artiste-francophone-a-interpreter-lhymne-de-la-coupe-du-monde/ 

https://congocheck.net/attention-cette-photo-ne-montre-pas-le-depart-de-felix-tshisekedi-pour-les-obseques-de-la-reine-elizabeth-ii/ 

https://congocheck.net/ce-centre-culturel-est-un-don-de-la-china-a-la-rdc-sous-kabila-et-non-de-felix-tshisekedi/ 

https://congocheck.net/felix-tshisekedi-na-pas-dote-la-ligne-maritime-congolaise-des-bateaux-pour-booster-sa-place-dans-leac/ 

https://congocheck.net/sur-cette-photo-felix-tshisekedi-nest-pas-avec-xavi-et-la-photo-a-ete-prise-en-belgique-et-non-en-espagne/ 

https://congocheck.net/faux-le-gouvernement-rwandais-na-pas-expulse-les-congolais-sur-son-territoire/ 

https://congocheck.net/faux-le-rwanda-na-pas-envoye-des-kits-scolaires-a-bunagana-a-loccasion-de-la-rentree-scolaire/

https://congocheck.net/mise-en-contexte-mbuji-mayi-occupe-la-onzieme-place-dans-le-top-15-de-plus-grandes-villes-francophones-du-monde-par-sa-densite/ 

The applicant fact-checks use the same high standards of evidence and judgement for equivalent claims regardless of who made the claim. We didn't find any example of unfair treatment...

https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/

https://www.congocheck.net/nous-proposer-un-article-2/  

Congo Check does not seem to unduly concentrate its fact-checking on any one side; it seems to consider the reach and importance of claims it selects to check; and it publishes an explaination on its website to set out how it selects claims to check, here :

https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/

https://www.congocheck.net/nous-proposer-un-article-2/

Thanks

In view of what we have observed, Congo Check discloses in its fact checks relevant interests of the sources it quotes and any commercial or other such relationships it has that a member of the public might reasonably conclude could influence the findings of the fact check.

Thanks

In view of what we have observed, Congo Check is not as an organization affiliated with any party, any politician or political candidate. It doesn't advocate for or against any policy positions on any issues.

https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/         

Congo Check explains its policies to preserve its non-partisan way of fact-checking claims on a page titled “A propos” here:

https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/

It evokes :

"To ensure the independence of our content, we make sure that no member of the team is involved in political activities or that none of us maintains contact with any political group or citizen movement. We thus track the posts of each of our collaborators online to ensure that they have not taken a position or engaged in a political struggle. This in order to ensure the independence of our project towards political organizations.”

Thanks

In view of what we have observed, Congo Check identifies the source of a major part of significant evidence used in its fact checks.

BUT, IN THE FUTURE, CONGO CHECK SHOULD USE MORE LINKS OF SOURCES AVAILABLE ONLINE...

(this is essential in the context of compliance with the IFCN code of principles)

Thanks

In view of what we have observed, Congo Check uses (most of the time) the best available primary sources of evidence.

BUT, IN THE FUTURE, CONGO CHECK SHOULD USE MORE PRIMARY SOURCES AND SHOULD EXPLAIN MORE CLEARLY THE USE OF SECONDARY SOURCES

(this is essential in the context of compliance with the IFCN code of principles)

Thanks

In view of what we have observed, Congo Check checks all key elements of claims.

BUT, IN THE FUTURE, CONGO CHECK SHOULD USE MORE OFTEN DIFFERENT RELEVANT SOURCES ON ONE TOPIC

(this is essential in the context of compliance with the IFCN code of principles)

Thanks

In view of what we have observed, Congo Check identifies in its fact checks the relevant interests of the sources it uses where the reader might reasonably conclude those interests could influence the accuracy of the evidence provided.

BUT, IN THE FUTURE, CONGO CHECK SHOULD IDENTIFY MORE OFTEN THE RELEVANT INTERESTS OF THE SOURCES IT USES

(this is essential in the context of compliance with the IFCN code of principles)

Congo Check is an activity (part) of IFC. Initiative des fact-checkers du Congo. We are an NGO with principal mission fighting misinformation. We are legally registered, and have the permit of working. It's an Independent organization.

Congo Check is a project of the ASBL/NGO Initiative des factchekers du Congo IFC (with its head office in Quartier Les Volcans 119, avenue boulevard Kanyamuhanga, GOMA/NORD KIVU (Democratic Republic of Congo) Registered in the RCS of under the n° F92/37.153 ), Congo Check is the first information website, specialized in fact-checking in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Launched towards the beginning of 2018, our mission is to fight against false information that has become commonplace on the internet in the DRC, most of which is spread by malicious individuals on social networks and sometimes by websites. In addition to this initial objective, Congo Check launched in late 2018 a tracker of promises made by politicians and other leaders through its new program called ''Promises Barometer''. The website also features a directory that lists the top online publications deemed false after the team's checks. The goal is to do everything possible to fight against the spread of misinformation on the Internet and against inaccuracy in the speeches of leaders and public figures as well as false political promises. We are an independent initiative and we remain so until now.

This statement can be found in the link below.

https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/    

Congo Check is an independent organization.

And the page that sets out the legal form in which the organization is registered (e.g. as a non-profit, as a company etc) is here :

https://congocheck.net/a-propos/

In 2021 and 2022, Congo Check was mainly funded by 6 sources:

1. Founding members' contributions

2. Partnership with Facebook in the third-party fact-checking program

3. Fact-checking training and/or content production partnerships with the NGO Internews and UNICEF (coming next month)

4. An award of 10 000 euros, received from the international organization of the Francophonie, after Congo Check had won the First Francophone media Innovation Prize innovation.

5. Google News Initiative

6. FPU, Free Press Unlimited for 33.000 euros for one year.

Since April 2020, Congo Check has been part of the "Third Party Program" of Facebook. With responsibilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, and Congo Brazzaville.

This statement can be found in the link below.

https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/ 

Congo Check is an independent organization.

The team details its sources of funding accounting and the legal form in which the organization is registered here:

https://congocheck.net/a-propos/ 

https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/

congocheck.net/protocole-de-correction/

https://www.congocheck.net/notre-equipe-3/                   

Congo Check presents its organizational structure and makes clear how and by whom editorial control is exercised (Chief editor, editors, authors, etc.) here :

https://www.congocheck.net/notre-equipe-3/

https://www.congocheck.net/notre-equipe-3/                                                       

Congo Check presents a page detailing the professional biography of all those who play a significant part in its articles:

https://www.congocheck.net/notre-equipe-3/ 

https://www.congocheck.net/nous-proposer-un-article-2/

https://www.congocheck.net/protocole-de-correction/   

It’s easy for readers to contact Congo Check’s team.

There’s a contact page here:

https://www.congocheck.net/nous-proposer-un-article-2/

And there’s an generic email address (info@congocheck.net) in the footer of the website.

https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/     

Congo Check gives precisions about its fact-checking methodology, here:

https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/

Congo Check give a lot of details in this section.

Thanks

In view of what we have observed, Congo Check selects claims to check based primarily on the reach and importance of the claims, and often explains the reason for choosing the claim to check.

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In view of what we have observed, Congo Check sets out in its fact checks relevant evidence that appears to support the claim as well as relevant evidence that appears to undermine it.

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In view of what we have observed, Congo Check assesses the merits of the evidence found using the same high standards applied to evidence on equivalent claims, regardless of who made the claim.

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In view of what we have observed, Congo Check seeks where possible to contact those who made the claim.

BUT CONGO CHECK SHOULD EXPLAIN MORE OFTEN WHEN THE TEAM CONTACTS THOSE WHO MADE THE CLAIM

We have added this notice to all our articles : 

Notice from Congo Check to the online community in Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville and French-speaking Africa: If your content is tagged as fake, partially fake, missing context, photo or video retouched... don't delete it! Modify it, with the update of the verification article that we put at your disposal, then report it to us! Or make an appeal if you think that our verification article does not contain enough factual elements capable of calling for the modification of your content. Our team will then be notified and proceed to remove the tag or provide you with more assistance in understanding the context around your content! By removing the content, we would unfortunately not be able to do anything more and the penalty will remain!

https://www.congocheck.net/nous-proposer-un-article-2/ 

Contact us

You think that an information is false, you doubt the veracity of certain remarks, a rumor circulates in your community: do not hesitate to write to us at info@congocheck.net or send an SMS or a call, or a simple beep at +2439942427.

Congo Check mainly checks information directly related to the countries where it works: the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo, for the moment. You can submit links, videos, photos, comments or rumors in your community. They can be in the field of politics, sports, health, ICT or any other field of public and social life.

Congo Check does not check in priority facts that have no link with the countries mentioned above.

Congo Check does not make espionage nor data theft.

There’s a dedicated page to invite readers to submit claims to fact-check on Congo Check’s websites. We can find it here:

https://www.congocheck.net/nous-proposer-un-article-2/

And the contact page is reachable from the menu.

It explains :

“You think that information is false, you doubt the veracity of certain remarks, a rumor circulates in your community: do not hesitate to write to us at info@congocheck.net or send an SMS or a call, or a simple beep at +243999942427.

Congo Check mainly checks information directly related to the countries where it works: the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo, for the moment. You can submit links, videos, photos, comments or rumors in your communities. They can be in the field of politics, sport, health, NTIC or any other field of public and social life.

Congo Check does not check as a priority facts that have no connection with the countries mentioned above.

Congo Check does not spy or steal data."

So we can say that Congo Check encourages users to send in claims to check, while making it clear what readers can legitimately expect will be fact-checked and what isn’t fact-checkable.

But there's a paragraph that must be included in the same page :

"Another important rule: we do not check (a) content of a private nature, (b) content that harms the physical integrity of people, (c) content of espionage or sabotage (d) any content that can harm people, especially those from minorities. We also do not verify content that has no connection with the countries in which we operate, namely the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic."

Actually, it is in this page : https://congocheck.net/protocole-de-correction/

(non sense)

There’s a dedicated page to invite readers to submit claims to fact-check on Congo Check’s websites. We can find it here:

https://www.congocheck.net/nous-proposer-un-article-2/

And the contact page is reachable from the menu.

It explains :

“You think that information is false, you doubt the veracity of certain remarks, a rumor circulates in your community: do not hesitate to write to us at info@congocheck.net or send an SMS or a call, or a simple beep at +243999942427.

Congo Check mainly checks information directly related to the countries where it works: the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo, for the moment. You can submit links, videos, photos, comments or rumors in your communities. They can be in the field of politics, sport, health, NTIC or any other field of public and social life.

Congo Check does not check as a priority facts that have no connection with the countries mentioned above.

Congo Check does not spy or steal data."

So we can say that Congo Check encourages users to send in claims to check, while making it clear what readers can legitimately expect will be fact-checked and what isn’t fact-checkable.

Another paragraph is included in the same page :

"Another important rule: we do not check (a) content of a private nature, (b) content that harms the physical integrity of people, (c) content of espionage or sabotage (d) any content that can harm people, especially those from minorities. We also do not verify content that has no connection with the countries in which we operate, namely the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic."

We have added this notice to all our articles :

Notice from Congo Check to the online community in Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville and French-speaking Africa: If your content is tagged as fake, partially fake, missing context, photo or video retouched... don't delete it! Modify it, with the update of the verification article that we put at your disposal, then report it to us! Or make an appeal if you think that our verification article does not contain enough factual elements capable of calling for the modification of your content. Our team will then be notified and proceed to remove the tag or provide you with more assistance in understanding the context around your content! By removing the content, we would unfortunately not be able to do anything more and the penalty will remain! 

https://www.congocheck.net/category/appels-traites/

https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/   

The Congo Check’s websites give precisions about its corrections policy in a specific webpage, here:

https://www.congocheck.net/protocole-de-correction/

Its corrections are published here (just one !?):

https://www.congocheck.net/category/appels-traites/

So Congo Check has a corrections policy that is easily visible and accessible. 

Thanks

The Congo Check corrections policy sets out :

"-Once a reader reports an error in one of our articles, the technical team will acknowledge receipt of their message

-The technical team in turn shares the message with the editorial team

-The editorial team is therefore responsible for rereading the article concerned by the observation, taking into account the observations and contacting the author of the message again if necessary

-If after verifications, the editorial team realizes that indeed an error has been made in the article, it instructs the technical team to pin the article "being corrected" with precision on the content concerned by this correction

-Once the correction is applied, the article is pinned "Updated" with precision to the corrected content.."

Congo Check try to explain in its website that some complaints may justify no response, but the team does it with a paragraph dedicated to what is fact-checkable or not :

"We do not check (a) content of a private nature, (b) content that attacks the physical integrity of people, (c) spy or sabotage content (d) any content that may harm people, especially those from minorities. We also do not check content unrelated to the countries in which we operate, namely the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic.

The team should explain more clearly what kind of complaints are not handled.

The Congo Check corrections policy sets out :

"-Once a reader reports an error in one of our articles, the technical team will acknowledge receipt of their message

-The technical team in turn shares the message with the editorial team

-The editorial team is therefore responsible for rereading the article concerned by the observation, taking into account the observations and contacting the author of the message again if necessary

-If after verifications, the editorial team realizes that indeed an error has been made in the article, it instructs the technical team to pin the article "being corrected" with precision on the content concerned by this correction

-Once the correction is applied, the article is pinned "Updated" with precision to the corrected content.."

Congo Check try to explain in its website that some complaints may justify no response, but the team does it with a paragraph dedicated to what is fact-checkable or not :

"We do not check (a) content of a private nature, (b) content that attacks the physical integrity of people, (c) spy or sabotage content (d) any content that may harm people, especially those from minorities. We also do not check content unrelated to the countries in which we operate, namely the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic.

We did it. here : https://www.congocheck.net/protocole-de-correction/                            

Congo Check provides only one credible evidence that it makes corrections openly and transparently, seeking as far as possible to ensure that users of the original see the correction and the corrected version.

Congo Check gives only one example of correction in its website, here:

https://www.congocheck.net/category/appels-traites/

But the team makes a statement in its website to inform users that no correction request has been made in the previous year, here:

"https://congocheck.net/protocole-de-correction/"

We have added this notice to all our articles :

Notice from Congo Check to the online community in Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville and French-speaking Africa: If your content is tagged as fake, partially fake, missing context, photo or video retouched... don't delete it! Modify it, with the update of the verification article that we put at your disposal, then report it to us! Or make an appeal if you think that our verification article does not contain enough factual elements capable of calling for the modification of your content. Our team will then be notified and proceed to remove the tag or provide you with more assistance in understanding the context around your content! By removing the content, we would unfortunately not be able to do anything more and the penalty will remain!

But they also can use these links :

https://www.congocheck.net/category/appels-traites/ 

https://www.congocheck.net/a-propos/   

Congo Check declares itself an IFCN signatory, at the bottom of each page, like here :

https://www.congocheck.net/

"Congo Check, being a signatory to the code of principle of the International Fact-Checkers Network (IFCN), submits to the principles of transparency and impartiality. If in any way you believe that one of our articles violates these principles (see the video here https://youtu.be/OVrx_2OYuTg) you can contact us at info@congocheck.net. You can also report your concerns to the IFCN, by writing to them at info@poynter.org. Please read the IFCN Complaints Policy here: https://ifcncodeofprinciples.poynter.org/complaints-policy."

There's a link to the complaints page on the IFCN site.

The statement should also be mentioned in the A PROPOS page.

Congo Check declares itself an IFCN signatory, at the bottom of each page, like here :

https://www.congocheck.net/

"Congo Check, being a signatory to the code of principle of the International Fact-Checkers Network (IFCN), submits to the principles of transparency and impartiality. If in any way you believe that one of our articles violates these principles (see the video here https://youtu.be/OVrx_2OYuTg) you can contact us at info@congocheck.net. You can also report your concerns to the IFCN, by writing to them at info@poynter.org. Please read the IFCN Complaints Policy here: https://ifcncodeofprinciples.poynter.org/complaints-policy."

There's a link to the complaints page on the IFCN site.

The statement is also mentioned in the A PROPOS page.

https://www.congocheck.net/protocole-de-correction/ 

But also, on the bottom of each article, they can read this :

Notice from Congo Check to the online community in Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville and French-speaking Africa: If your content is tagged as fake, partially fake, missing context, photo or video retouched... don't delete it! Modify it, with the update of the verification article that we put at your disposal, then report it to us! Or make an appeal if you think that our verification article does not contain enough factual elements capable of calling for the modification of your content. Our team will then be notified and proceed to remove the tag or provide you with more assistance in understanding the context around your content! By removing the content, we would unfortunately not be able to do anything more and the penalty will remain!                           

Not concerned.