Organization: DELFI Melo Detektorius
Applicant: Aistė Meidutė
Assessor: Martins Kaprans
Edits made by the organization after this assessment
IFCN Staff wrote:
So we finally have the adjusted the bios and contact list, which can be found here. It is being constantly updated as it is allowed for any DELFI journalist to join, as long as they agree with the code of ethics. Speaking of the frequency of the articles, it will take time and we aim to start working heavily on this as soon as the presidential and EU parliament elections pass (end of May).
Conclusion and recommendations
Martins Kaprans wrote:
The applicant is reliable and professional organization who can contribute to the fact-checking culture in Lithuania. The application can be accepted, if the applicant agrees to increase the regularity of fact-checking articles and provide additional information about the team who is behind the fact-checking articles.
Martins Kaprans 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.
DELFI Melo Detektorius
16-Apr-2019 (5 years ago)
'DELFI Melo Detektorius' is a fact checking project of the largest Lithuania media outlet 'DELFI Lietuva'. Our platform unites professional journalists and experts determined to seek the truth and maintain fair journalistic standards. On a daily basis 'DELFI Lietuva' journalists analyzes speeches and claims of important Lithuania’s political figures and accepts requests to check doubtful information sent by readers. Detailed fact analysis based by reliable sources are then published in 'Melo Detektorius' platform.
Evidence of 'DELFI Lietuva' legal registration: see attached document 'Delfi pazymejimas.pdf'
Evidence of application fee payment: see attached document.
Martins Kaprans Assessor
07-May-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
The applicant is an influential media organization with a considerable experience in fact checking and countering disinformation.
done_all 1a marked as Fully compliant by Martins Kaprans.
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.
DELFI Melo Detektorius
16-Apr-2019 (5 years ago)
Martins Kaprans Assessor
07-May-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
The Melo detektorius webpage regularly publishes articles which evaluate the accuracy of particular claims. However, this regularity is less than a report per week over the previous three month.
done 1b marked as Partially compliant by Martins Kaprans.
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.
DELFI Melo Detektorius
16-Apr-2019 (5 years ago)
In order to provide 'DELFI Melo Detektorius' readers with most relevant and reliable information at first our journalists scan recent politicians speeches, claims in social media, articles, find potentially harmful publications through an AI based disinformation spotting tool developed at DELFI, called Debunk.eu and by various different means. In addition we try to keep close communication with our readers and accept their requests to check doubtful claims sent to us via email.
When our journalists finds a suspicious message, they conduct a research related to the topic. We are using various standard information verification tools such as Reverse Image Search, Storyful Multisearch, YouTube Data Viewer, WayBack, Google Public Data Explorer and etc.
Our goal is to spread correct and traceable information based only on facts. In order to keep fairness we include accurate sources in our articles and encourage readers to inform us about any necessary corrections or mistakes spotted.
You can read detailed description of fact checking methodologies used in our platform here: https://www.delfi.lt/news/melo-detektorius/?page=metodologija
Since November 2018 DELFI Melo Detektorius published fact checks concerning wide range of topics such as labour conditions, economy, elections, policy, social security etc. Here you can find 10 links to our articles that represents 'Melo Detektorius':
Urban development: https://www.delfi.lt/news/melo-detektorius/is-dalies-tiesa/vygaudas-usackas-vilniui-paramos-nebereikia-mums-reikia-kad-augtu-kiti-miestai.d?id=79516687
Environment protection: https://www.delfi.lt/news/melo-detektorius/melas/pasipriesinimo-misku-kirtimui-audros-atgarsiai-lietuvoje-daugeja-plynuju-kirtimu.d?id=79714337
Social security: https://www.delfi.lt/news/melo-detektorius/is-dalies-melas/puidokas-pasidalino-ivaikinimo-lietuvoje-faktais-dauguma-ju-klaidingi.d?id=80066501
Martins Kaprans Assessor
07-May-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
The available articles demonstrate a balanced treatment of selected topics and contexts.
done_all 2a marked as Fully compliant by Martins Kaprans.
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.
DELFI Melo Detektorius
16-Apr-2019 (5 years ago)
We respect different political views but we do not allow our team members to engage in any political activity or support candidates or advocacy organizations. In order to ensure this every 'DELFI Lietuva' employee has to sign a code of principles document in which they agree not to be involved in any political parties or advocacy organizations while working for 'DELFI Melo Detektorius'.
Here you can find a link to our code of principles which is publicly displayed: https://www.delfi.lt/apie/?wid=7268
Martins Kaprans Assessor
07-May-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
The Delfi code of ethics precisely regulates the political impartiality of its journalists.
done_all 2b marked as Fully compliant by Martins Kaprans.
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.
DELFI Melo Detektorius
16-Apr-2019 (5 years ago)
We provide as many links to used sources and documents and embed as many audiovisual material to our articles as possible. In order to keep transparency and openness we divide our articles into separate segments that are easy to follow. We also have separate ‘Sources’ section under every article with all external sources used in particular research.
We also provide readers with detailed description of techniques used to trace real facts. It can be found under ‘Methodology’ section: https://www.delfi.lt/news/melo-detektorius/?page=metodologija
Martins Kaprans Assessor
07-May-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
The available articles provide well sourced and hyperlinked information, so that readers can easily follow and check the accuracy on their own. The methodology section provides a detailed description how the organization finds and uses sources for fact-checking.
done_all 3a marked as Fully compliant by Martins Kaprans.
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.
DELFI Melo Detektorius
16-Apr-2019 (5 years ago)
'DELFI Melo Detektorius' is a part of Lithuania’s leading news website 'DELFI Lietuva'. 'DELFI Lietuva' is owned and funded by the biggest online media enterprise in Baltic countries 'Postimees Grupp' (also known as 'Ekspress Grupp') uniting online media platforms in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine: https://www.delfi.lt/apie/
If any article published in 'DELFI Melo Detektorius' were supported by other means, we clearly indicate it in our platform: https://www.delfi.lt/news/melo-detektorius/?page=remejai
Our supporters cannot influence or anyhow limit content published in 'DELFI Melo Detektorius'.
Martins Kaprans Assessor
07-May-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
The ownership structure of the organization is transparent and available to any reader.
done_all 4a marked as Fully compliant by Martins Kaprans.
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.
DELFI Melo Detektorius
16-Apr-2019 (5 years ago)
'DELFI Lietuva' staff profiles, including advisory board, can be found by pressing their photos on contact list: https://www.delfi.lt/apie/kontaktai/
Martins Kaprans Assessor
07-May-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
The organization has only mentioned the name of the editor of the fact-checking project and her biography. However, it's not clear from the provided evidence who else is involved in the fact-checking project. It is only mentioned that the Delfi journalists take part in preparing the fact-checking articles.
done 4b marked as Partially compliant by Martins Kaprans.
Criterion 4c
Contact
Evidence required: Please link to the section where readers can get in touch with the organization.
DELFI Melo Detektorius
16-Apr-2019 (5 years ago)
Readers can reach our staff members by going directly to our contact list:
https://www.delfi.lt/apie/kontaktai/
or send us complaints or facts to check via this form:
https://www.delfi.lt/news/melo-detektorius/siusk.php
Under every article in 'DELFI Melo Detektorius' website we have comment section.
In case of spotted disinformation, they can send us the cases via the form at Demaskuok.lt as well: https://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/demaskuok/ (they can click the button 'pranešk' and then are redirected to Debunk.eu Lithuanian website: https://demaskuok.lt/pranesk/
Martins Kaprans Assessor
07-May-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
The organization provides the complaint and comment sections and they work well.
done_all 4c marked as Fully compliant by Martins Kaprans.
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.
DELFI Melo Detektorius
16-Apr-2019 (5 years ago)
We provide detailed information about fact checking methods we use to conduct our research under ‘Methodology’ section which is publicly available in 'DELFI Melo Detektorius' website:
https://www.delfi.lt/news/melo-detektorius/?page=metodologija
Martins Kaprans Assessor
07-May-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
The organization has a clear and detailed fact-checking methodology that is easy accessible for everyone.
done_all 5a marked as Fully compliant by Martins Kaprans.
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.
DELFI Melo Detektorius
16-Apr-2019 (5 years ago)
Form to submit claim goes with every fact check on the right side of the page and on our front page as well. Under section 'Siųsk faktą' readers can fill in form to submit a claim: https://www.delfi.lt/news/melo-detektorius/
Martins Kaprans Assessor
07-May-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
The applicant provides a convenient way of how to make claims about fact-checking articles. The methodology section, in turn, clearly state what can be fact-checked and what can't be.
done_all 5b marked as Fully compliant by Martins Kaprans.
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.
DELFI Melo Detektorius
16-Apr-2019 (5 years ago)
Our correction policy can be found on our methodology section under the name 'Taisymų politika':
https://www.delfi.lt/news/melo-detektorius/?page=metodologija
Martins Kaprans Assessor
07-May-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
The applicant clearly declares that it's opened to the readers' corrections and that they highly appreciate the readers' involvement in improving the fact-checking.
done_all 6a marked as Fully compliant by Martins Kaprans.
Criterion 6b
Examples of corrections
Evidence required: Please provide two examples of a correction made, or correction requests handled, in the past year.
DELFI Melo Detektorius
16-Apr-2019 (5 years ago)
All corrections/additions made to our publications are written in italic at the end of the article. We also add red notice 'Papildyta' to each altered publication headline to make it easier to spot:
Martins Kaprans Assessor
07-May-2019 (5 years ago) Updated: 5 years ago
The applicant has provided evidences which demonstrate that it has made corrections in already published articles in order to clarify some facts. These corrections are integrated in the article and they are specially highlighted as clarifications to article.