FactChecker.in is an initiative of The Spending & Policy Research Foundation which also runs www.indiaspend.org, India’s first data journalism initiative. We are located in Lower Parel in Mumbai and are registered as a Charitable Trust with the Charity Commissioner, Mumbai. (Details here: http://factchecker.in/about-us/)

FactChecker is a registered organization set up exclusively for the purpose of fact-checking. They are the fact-checking section of another organisation, a trust. The trust also runs a data journalism website.

http://factchecker.in/

They published eighteen stories from August to Nov.

That amounts to an average of over one story a week. The stories are evaluated based on their accuracy. 

FactChecker.in is India’s first dedicated fact-checking initiative. Since early 2013, we have been scrutinising and researching for veracity and context, statements made by individuals in public life, as well as picking up on issues where we feel there is a strong need to examine data that is in public domain.

In addition, we also collect or maintain data where none are available. Some examples of such efforts are:

Our database of cow-related violence: https://lynch.factchecker.in/

Our database of violence related to rumours of child-lifting: https://lynch.factchecker.in/child/

Our database of religion-motivated hate crime: https://p.factchecker.in/

In each of our fact checks, we ensure that the statement/claim being checked is reproduced from the original, and the data used to back/call out a claim, or put it in context are linked to official sources.

Appended is a list of ten of our recent fact checks.

1. A Village’s Journey To Electrification, And Why ‘100%’ Claim Rings Hollow: https://factchecker.in/a-villages-journey-to-electrification-and-why-100-claim-rings-hollow/

2. Why Leisang, India’s ‘Last Village To Be Electrified’, Has Relapsed Into Darkness: https://factchecker.in/why-leisang-indias-last-village-to-be-electrified-has-relapsed-into-darkness/

3. Despite PM’s 100% Electrification Claim, 15 Million Households–Equivalent To All Households In South Korea–Without Power: https://factchecker.in/despite-pms-100-electrification-claim-15-million-households-equivalent-to-all-households-in-south-korea-without-power/

4. Madhya Pradesh Has More Than 1 Cr Unemployed Youth: Scindia. Claim Is Unclear: https://factchecker.in/madhya-pradesh-has-more-than-1-cr-unemployed-youth-scindia-claim-is-unclear/

5. Madhya Pradesh ‘Number 1 In Rape, Number 1 In Farmer Suicide, Number 1 In Unemployment’: Kamal Nath. He’s Mostly Wrong: https://factchecker.in/madhya-pradesh-number-1-in-rape-number-1-in-farmer-suicide-number-1-in-unemployment-kamal-nath-hes-mostly-wrong/

6. 35 Airports Built Over Last 4 Years: Modi. Fact: 7 Made ‘Operational’: https://factchecker.in/35-airports-built-over-last-4-years-modi-fact-7-made-operational/

7. Sadhguru: No Bombings In Modi Era. Fact: 400 Plus In 2016 Alone, Official Data Show: https://factchecker.in/sadhguru-no-bombings-in-modi-era-fact-400-plus-in-2016-alone-official-data-show/

8. Rahul Gandhi: Congress Not Involved In 1984 Sikh Riots. Fact: Inquiries Indicted Congressmen, Absolved Party: https://factchecker.in/rahul-gandhi-congress-not-involved-in-1984-sikh-riots-fact-inquiries-indicted-congressmen-absolved-party/

9. #KeralaFloods: Govt Cites Policy In Refusing Rs 700-Crore Aid From UAE, But Policy Allows Aid: https://factchecker.in/keralafloods-govt-cites-policy-in-refusing-rs-700-crore-aid-from-uae-but-policy-allows-aid/

10. Minister To Parliament: No Data On Lynching. Here They Are (Including Government’s Own): https://factchecker.in/minister-to-parliament-no-data-on-lynching-here-they-are-including-governments-own/

While a majority of the stories verify government claims there are a couple of stories that verify the opposition claims too, as well as one who is a ‘spiritual leader’

I have read the complaint and did not find the bias to make a claim that the purpose of the fact check is to benefit one party or the other. More importantly the fact checking is accurate.

FactChecker has provided links to data they have collected as an example for stories they are compiling data where no official database exists. These stories are not actual fact checks nor can they be verified. They have disclosed the data based stories they cover on the website. 

All our employment contracts have the following clause: “During the appointment with the Company you shall not take up directly or indirectly any other employment in any company, firm, associates or undertaking or any other work (part time or otherwise) or work on advisory capacity without written permission from the company.”

Our editorial team vets the credentials of any outside contributors before assigning or accepting their work.

It has explained its policy position and says that the employment contracts have a clause barring employees from taking up any other employment or working in an advisory capacity

All our fact checks are based on public data released by various government departments or credible non-governmental surveys and studies. Links to the original sources are generously used, for each figure and each source, so as to enable interested readers to replicate the fact check.

Our data visualisations detailing the fact checks are also accompanied by links to the original source of data.

Nearly all key sources are linked, so is the evidence it provides.

Stories are backed with reportage from the location. Links to some data based stories are not available to be replicated. However, the methodology has been explained. 

The details of how we are funded are public, updated periodically and can be accessed here: https://factchecker.in/about-us/trustees-patrons/

While each source of funding has not been listed, the website does indicate the form in which the organisation is registered. It also makes a statement on ownership.

However, details of expenditure is not available.

The ‘Our Team’ page (https://factchecker.in/about-us/our-team/) on the website has detailed bios of all our regular authors. The bios of our contributors are mentioned below their stories.

All key authors are listed and profiled. 

http://factchecker.in/contact-us/

They have a clearly indicated contact page and invite comments and corrections.

As a data journalism and policy research organisation, The Spending & Policy Research Foundation deals with issues, which should be—but usually are not—in the public domain, including: health, sanitation, law and justice, education, environment, employment, innovation, science, environment and disadvantaged groups.

As a fact checking initiative, we at Factchecker.in pick claims/statements made by public figures or government reports and check for veracity and context. We refer to official data in the public domain to verify claims.

In some cases, claims are found to be true, but misleading as the context and historical perspective is missing. In such cases, we provide context to the claim in question.

Often, public documents contain outdated figures, and a claim may pertain to a later period. For such claims made on official data, we contact the relevant public authority--such as the department head or ministry--for clarification.

The methodology is also explained in the 'About Us' page on our website: https://factchecker.in/about-us/

The methodology is clearly explained. They have also clearly identified areas they will focus on.

Our 'Contact Us' page invites readers to send in suggestions, and share knowledge, insights, ideas, etc. We are also accessible through our social media handles (https://twitter.com/FactCheckIndia & https://facebook.com/IndiaSpend), and engage with readers.

Readers are invited to send claims to fact check by email. But does not explain what is not possible to fact check.

The ‘Contact Us’ page on our website explains our corrections policy, and calls on readers to point out any errors to us through email: http://factchecker.in/contact-us/

We acknowledge all errors and clarifications, and publish them prominently on the website and our social media handles.

Corrections policy is clearly mentioned, though not in a separate page, but as part of the Contact Us page. The corrections are not reflected across all platforms. 

1. In August 2018, during a live factcheck of the Prime Minister’s address to the nation on the 72nd Independence Day, we erroneously said 3.5 million new entrepreneurs had taken loans of the 123 million sanctioned between 2015-16 and 2017-18: https://twitter.com/FactCheckIndia/status/1029571052102279168

The correct datum is that loans were taken by 35 million new entrepreneurs. We issued a correction on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FactCheckIndia/status/1029752044658352128

2. In May 2018, in response to our factcheck on the funds spent under the central government’s Smart Cities project, the ministry of housing and urban affairs put out a series of tweets contesting data cited in the story.

We replied to the ministry on Twitter and updated the story with the interaction: https://factchecker.in/smart-cities-rs-2-lakh-cr-budget-0-09-of-central-funds-spent/

The corrections are not reflected across all platforms used to distribute the stories.