Factnameh is a fact-checking project by ASL19. Founded in 2012, ASL19 (Persian for Article 19) is a private company legally registered in Toronto, Canada. We work towards practical responses to access to information challenges. Our work helps citizens assert their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and access to information.

Factnameh was launched in 2017 exclusively for the purpose of fact-checking. Powered by an independent, nonpartisan fact-checking team, Factnameh offers timely multimedia content to help Iranians make informed decisions and hold officials accountable.

The information can be found on ASL19’s website:

- Persian: https://asl19.org/fa/about.html 

- English: https://asl19.org/en/about.html

and in the footer of the Factnameh website:

- Persian: https://factnameh.com/fa

- English: https://factnameh.com/en

Met the necessary conditions.

1. After Hassan Rouhani was elected President in 2013, ASL19 launched RouhaniMeter, a promise-tracking initiative monitoring the Rouhani administration’s performance against their campaign promises. This was our first venture into structured journalism. However, promise-tracking alone is not enough. The rising trend of mis/disinformation, as well as the deteriorating government accountability in Iran, required a robust, fast-responding fact-checking entity to hold those in power to account. The Factnameh project was launched in 2017, focusing on mis/disinformation both in the Iranian political sphere and online.

2. The core Factnameh team consists of 5 staff and is led by Factnameh’s Editor-in-Chief, Farhad Souzanchi. Information about the Factnameh team could be found on the Factnameh website's About Us page.

- Persian: https://factnameh.com/fa/about

- English: https://factnameh.com/en/about 

3. Factnameh’s activities include but are not limited to:

- Publishing fact-checks and in-depth investigative articles;

- Producing multimedia fact-checking content, including podcasts, short videos, and documentaries;

- Hosting workshops and producing educational materials to strengthen basic information verification skills among journalists and the Iranian public;

- Working with media and technology partners to distribute Factnameh’s content through various channels despite censorship in iran; and

- Developing technology tools to advance fact-checking processes, such as Telegram bot and browser extensions.

4. Over the coming year, we will continue to publish high quality content to tackle the rising danger of mis/disinformation in Iran. Our goals for the next year include:

- To become an IFCN signatory and work closely with other fact-checkers around the world;

- To continue our multimedia production to provide in-depth coverage while reaching a larger audience;

- To explore solutions in the face of tightening censorship and internet shutdowns in Iran; and

- To build greater awareness and capacity among everyday Iranians to exercise critical media literacy.

Met the necessary conditions.

We have attached a spreadsheet detailing the 147 fact-checks that were published from May 3, 2022 to Nov 25, 2022. On average, that is about 5 fact-checks per week. 

Met the necessary conditions. 

A simple review shows that Factnameh passes this test. The topics they've fact-checked includes vaccines, statistics on oil comnsumption, inflation in the budget or Iran's copper mines. The overwhelming majority of cases are directed toward issues relevant to the general welfare of the audience

Factnameh and ASL19 do not have any affiliation with the Iranian state, politicians or political parties. We abide by a set of non-partisan, neutral principles to ensure that our editorial decision-making is not affected by any funders or foreign/local states. Our Principles: 

- Persian: https://factnameh.com/fa/principles

- English: https://factnameh.com/en/principles 

Met the necessary conditions.

Factnameh abides by a set of non-partisan, neutral principles which details how we create our content and our commitment to editorial independence.

Our Principles:

- Persian: https://factnameh.com/fa/principles

- English: https://factnameh.com/en/principles 

ASL19 does seem to be getting state funding but this isn't mentioned on its website, nor is it on Factnameh's. 

ASL19 does seem to be getting state funding but this isn't mentioned on its website, nor is it on Factnameh's. However, the explanations provided after the fact convince me that they've taken enough steps to be in compliance with the spirit of this criteria. 

Factnameh fact-checks a variety of public figures and influential media on different sides of the political spectrum. Our fact-checks are grounded in objective, verifiable sources and delivered in a neutral tone and style. Below are some fact-checks we have published over the past year that could demonstrate our non-partisanship (in the order of recency):

1. “Since the beginning of the 13th government, 970,000 jobs have been created” by President Raisi (rated “False”)

2. “Removing the IRGC name from the list of terrorist organizations has never been a prerequisite for an agreement” - by Mohammad Marandi (rated “False”)

3. “If there was a monarchy in Iran, Nour Pahlavi would succeed her father according to the constitutional law” by Farah Pahlavi (rated “False”)

4. “European countries and many countries today are experiencing inflation that they have never experienced” by President Raisi (rated “Half-true”)

5. “The reason for canceling the match with Iran was the refusal of the Canadian national team players” by Tasnim News Agency (rated “True”)

6. “Ebrahim Raisi's government broke the historical record of money printing” by Abdul Naser Hemmati (rated “Misleading”)

7. “90% of Iran’s economy is state-owned” by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (rated “Unprovable”)

8. “Around 4,000 were killed in the Goharshad incident” by Fars News (rated “False”)

9. “American Democrats have clearly said that they created ISIS” by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (rated “Outrageous”)

10. “A police officer in a foreign country was forced to apologize after insulting martyr Soleimani” by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (rated “True”)

11. “A picture of Qom’s friday imam’s bank statement, showing his balance an astronomical number” by social media accounts attributed to Anonymous (rated “Outrageous”)

12. “Looking at the dissemination pattern of the fake news about the presence of Ali Daei and other Soccer stars in the city of Saqqaz" (analysis / no rating)

Besides the above mentioned examples, we also keep profiles of each individual and entity we fact-check. For instance, one can clearly see all statements by the Supreme Leader and President that we have fact-checked, with a breakdown of different ratings given.

Met the necessary conditions.

In Factnameh’s Principles page, we explained that although we prioritize statements made by high-ranking officials and influential public figures for they have a wider reach and impact, we don’t discriminate or choose topics based on the origin or political alignment of those behind a claim:

Every day, the Factnameh team reviews news stories, press releases, and speeches related to Iran. We also look at social media to find popular topics worth fact-checking. In order to provide timely fact-checks on the most pressing matters, Factnameh prioritizes statements made by high-ranking officials and influential public figures. We don’t discriminate or choose topics based on the origin or political alignment of those behind a claim.

Another way for us to find potential subjects to fact-check is through audience suggestions. Our readers and followers can reach out to us via social media or send us an anonymous tip through our Persian website.

Since Factnameh’s focus is primarily on Iran, our priority is to fact-check claims related to Iran and topics concerning the interest of people in the country. However, we do not fact-check the following types of subject:

- Personal opinions (statements that cannot be objectively verified)

- General comments, compliments, or obvious exaggeration

- Small mistakes that are simply slip of the tongue

Met the necessary conditions. 

Factname does this consistently. For instance on this report on danger for women around the world, it clarifies the nature and source of the variety of the sources it has used: The statement published on the Factname's basis lays out its non-partisan policy firmly. https://factnameh.com/fa/fact-checks/2022-07-08-usa-worlds-10-most-dangerous-countries-women

The variety of the claims Factname has assessed shows that it's acting non-partisan. For example, it once assessed a claim by an Iranian official as 'correct' which shows that it's maintaining fairness toward the Iranian state: https://factnameh.com/fa/fact-checks/2022-07-06-iran-university-of-medical-sciences-ranking-sdg

Please find our statement of non-partisanship for staff on the Factnameh website’s Principles section (Persian / English).

The statement published on the Factname's basis lays out its non-partisan policy firmly. 

All sources given for Factname's claims are hyperlinkec properly and easily accessible 

Sources given by Factnameh seem to always be the most relevant sources. For instance, in a report on a gas used in a demonstration in Iran, it did extensive work to show the veracity of the videos shared on social media while also linking to a variety of professional organizations such as CDC of the US and relevant Austrian organizations on the nature of chemical components possibly used in conflicts. 

All elements of various claims seem to be assessed by Factnameh from all the relevant angles. For instance, on this report on Abrarvan, it looked at the claim (sanctioning this company having led to speedier internet) from a variety of angels, both political and technical. https://factnameh.com/fa/fact-checks/2022-11-18-abrarvan-sanction-vpn-bandwidth

Similar to 2.3, this is clearly done by Factnameh in relation to the sources it quotes as it clearly delinates their basic interests. 

Factnameh is a fact-checking project under ASL19. This is stated in the footer of the Factnameh website (English / Persian) and in the ASL19 website (English / Persian).

They clearly mark the fact that they are part of ASL19 in their website and footer. 

Due to the sensitivity and security risks that come with human rights and government accountability work in the Iranian context, we do not disclose its funders publicly. We are happy to provide IFCN with additional information regarding this specific criteria through a separate channel. For our legal registration status, please see Question 1.1. 

Factnameh currently does not disclose their sources of funding 

Factnameh currently does not disclose their sources of funding. However, the explanations provided after the fact convince me that they've taken enough steps to be in compliance with the spirit of this criteria.

Due to the sensitivity of our work, ASL19 prioritizes the safety and protection of our staff. We do not publish the full list of our staff on the websites. A selective list of our fact-checkers could be found on the Factnameh website (English / Persian). The core Factnameh team is led by our Editor-in-Chief, Farhad Souzanchi.

They don't publish their full command structure but I am convinced of their stated reasoning for this which is safety precautions. 

Due to the risk involved in publishing identifiable information of our staff, we do not include biographies of our team members on the website. Biography of our Editor in Chief can be provided to the IFCN separately.

Biography of editors is not published. 

Biography of editors is not published. However, the explanations provided after the fact convince me that they've taken enough steps to be in compliance with the spirit of this criteria.

The “Contact Us” details are available at the end of the “About Us” page and in the website footer. The contact methods provided include social media channels and email (info@factnameh.com). We also have a separate page for fact-checking subject suggestion web form.

Met the necessary conditions. 

In Factnameh’s Principles page, we explained our fact-checking process, including selecting, researching, and decision-making before publishing a fact-check. 

Factname's principles page clearly explains their fact-checking process and its various stages. It shows how they select their topics, how they research, how they reach a decision and how they publish their findings. 

I conducted a randomized search of 6 fact-checking examples by Factnameh. It is clear that they have picked topics based on their relevance and include a wide range of political views to scrutiny. 

In my review of a sample of fact-checking articles by Factnameh, it's clear that they've considered various sides of an issue and offer evidence that both supports or takes away from the claim being examined. In fact, on some issues, Factnameh declares the matter to be neither true nor false, precisely due to conflicted evidence. 

My examination of 10 fact-chcecks by Factnameh shows that they don't maintain a double standard. For instance, they've determined claims by both pro- and anti-regime forces in Iran to be true or false, without prejudice to one side. 

As contacting many of those who make the claims it is not possible due to security in the case of Factnameh, I believe they are in general compliance with this condition, even without such contact being made.

In Factnameh’s Principles page, we explained what is not considered fact-checkable (personal opinion, general comment, exaggerations, slip of the tongue). We also explained that since Factnameh’s focus is primarily on Iran, our priority is to fact-check claims related to Iran and topics concerning the interest of people in the country. 

We have a web page specifically for the fact-checking subject suggestion web form. We also have a Telegram bot and a Chrome Extension. More than 50% of our fact-checks are currently produced in response to user requests, and the majority of these are through Telegram. The Telegram bot makes it easier for users to submit content for fact-checking and access our database of fact-checks. Similarly, our Chrome Extension also helps users look up fact-checks in Factnameh’s database and encourage them to submit a subject suggestion if there is no match in the database.

Factnameh has a clear section on its website where it invites people to send in claims they wish to see fact-checked. There is also evidence that such fact-checking has indeed been done based on requests from the public. 

Our correction policy is included in Factnameh’s Principles page. 

Met the necessary conditions. 

Met the necessary conditions. 

As mentioned in our Principle page, we urge our audience to contact us through our multiple communication channels on social media and our website if they notice an error in our content. If we come to the conclusion that a modification is required, we will inform our audience about it on the same page where the original content was published as well as on our social media channels.

Over the past year, we have made corrections to two of our fact-checks. Accordingly, we have informed our audience about the modifications both on our website and social media. However, in both cases the errors were caught by the Factnameh research team and were immediately modified.

• Example 1
• Example 2

Met the necessary conditions. 

Factnameh is not an existing signatory.

Met the necessary conditions. 

ASL19’s Correction Policy can be found under the About Us page (English / Persian).

Met the necessary conditions.