status and how this complies with criteria. Attach a link to the relevant page of your website.

FactWatch is an initiative for promoting Media Information Literacy (MIL) and raising awareness about misinformation, disinformation, fake news and rumors in Bangladesh. The center was established at the Department of Media Studies and Journalism (MSJ) at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB). The University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) is a private university registered as a non-profit entity under the University of Liberal Arts Foundation in 2004.

Information about our organization’s legal status and objectives can be found here on our website : https://cutt.ly/Sd8346T 

"Compliant

FactWatch is a distinct unit within the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh ((ULAB), established in 2017. Originally it was set up as a project in the Department of Media Studies and Journalism. FactWatch was set up to engage students in learning, developing skills and gaining practical experience in tackling misinformation, disinformation and fake news. It was also set up with the primary aim of establishing a local knowledge hub of Media Information Literacy (MIL) in Bangladesh, intended to reach out the wider community with the service of debunking myths and combating misinformation.

1. FactWatch was established on November 1, 2017 as a project of the Department of Media Studies and Journalism (MSJ) at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB). It was initially funded by the American Center, Dhaka, for its one-year operation.

2. Media literacy is a foundation of Journalism and Media Studies curriculum. FactWatch was initiated to practically engage students in learning about misinformation, disinformation, fake news and rumors, honing their communication skills and journalistic intuition. Our overarching aim is to create a local knowledge hub of Media Information Literacy (MIL) in Bangladesh. We aspire to prepare a generation of skilled fact-checkers who will be leaders in the news media industry in Bangladesh. At the same time, through this website and its social media pages, FactWatch intended to reach out the community with the service of debunking myths and combating misinformation.

3. We have four core team members: Director/Editor, Assistant Editor, Lead Researcher, and Technical Advisor. Each semester, we accept 2-4 undergraduate student interns as fact-checkers, video storytellers, and graphic designers from the Media Studies and Journalism Department. Some of the interns who develops skill and passion about fact-checking, continue with us after their internship period. Our team profile can be accessed at: https://cutt.ly/1d88olZ 

4. Apart from formal website-based factchecking, we do various kinds of media information literacy programs, both at the university level and the community level. At the university, we do several workshops and awareness programs on misinformation, disinformation and malinformation with students in different times. At the community level, we take initiatives to make people aware about rumors on social media. At the academic level, we designed a dedicated course on fact-checking in journalism which has been approved by University Grants Commission. As a unit of ULAB, FactWatch borrows resources from the journalism department and helps in capacity building to students and faculty. In doing so, FactWatch organizes several workshops, seminars, and public lectures on Media Information Literacy (MIL), fake news, misinformation, disinformation, falsehood and rumors.

5. Over the coming year, we hope to increase our reach by better engaging our audience . Although Facebook and YouTube have been the mostly used social media in Bangladesh, and we limited our activities on this platforms so far, but in the coming days we plan to take a multiplatform approach by extending our presence to Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok. With an international recognition (i.e., the IFCN accreditation) we would also like to increase editorial and research capacity by hiring a few more professional team members, who will in turn, mentor additional student interns, and run the website more efficiently and detect rumors at their earliest stages. We hope to partner with non-profit civil society organizations, grassroot NGOs, and universities to benefit from their reach and expertise while collaborating on fact-checking of issues of public interest.

"Compliant

FactWatch is a distinct unit within the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh ((ULAB), established in 2017. Originally it was set up as a project in the Department of Media Studies and Journalism. FactWatch was set up to engage students in learning, developing skills and gaining practical experience in tackling misinformation, disinformation and fake news. It was also set up with the primary aim of establishing a local knowledge hub of Media Information Literacy (MIL) in Bangladesh, intended to reach out the wider community with the service of debunking myths and combating misinformation.

FactWatch's core team members consist of the Director/Editor, Assistant Editor, Lead Researcher, and Technical Advisor. Each semester, they also accept 2-4 undergraduate student interns as fact-checkers, video storytellers, and graphic designers from the Media Studies and Journalism Department. In some cases, interns who develop strong skill and passion for fact-checking, continue after their internship period.

Apart from the fact-checking service FactWatch provides, they also run workshops, seminars and awareness programms on misinformation, disinformation and malinformation with students. They also engage with the community, where they implement initiatives to make the wider society aware about rumors and fake news on social media. From an academic perspective FactWatch has designed a dedicated course on fact-checking in journalism within the ULAB Journalism and Media Studies department.

FactWatch's goals over the coming year are to increase their online engagement by expending their presence to other social media platforms such as Twitter. They would also like to increase their editorial and research capacity by hiring and adding staff to their core team. Factwatch hopes to collaborate with civil society organizations both international and local and other universities."

Please see the attached document to find our posts since March 2020.

The applicant has published an average of at least one fact check a week over the course of the six months prior to the date of application. There was a gap in May 2020. However, FactWatch has provided an explaination about this gap, that due to staff contracting COVID-19 there have been capacity issues in terms of publishing factchecks.

Over the previous three months, 75% of FactWatch's fact checks do focus on claims related to issues related to the impact on the welfare or well-being of individuals, the general public or society.

Topics covered: coronvirus quarantining, social distancing, nutrition and diet - as the fact-checks provided has covered the period since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are running this activity from an academic institute which is non-profit non-partisan and is committed to provide liberal arts education. Our organization does not have any commercial, financial and/or institutional relationship to the state, politicians or political parties in Bangladesh. We started this initiative with a small funding support from the American Center, Dhaka (a non-political entity that has declared commitment against misinformation) but eventually became self-sustainable as the funding period was over 2018. Since then, we have neither been receiving any funding or support from foreign or local state or political actors over the previous financial year, nor have our intention to receive so. Our non-partisanship policy clearly mentions it here: https://cutt.ly/Od4rurM                             

Fact Watch is a distinct project within the Department of Media Studies and Journalism at the University of Liberal Arts (ULAB) which is a non-profit and non-partisan academic institution. ULAB does not have any commercial, financial and/or institutional relationship to the state, politicians or political parties in Bangladesh.

Not applicable

ULAB which hosts FactWatch, does not have any commercial, financial and/or institutional relationship to the state, politicians or political parties in Bangladesh.

1. কামরাঙ্গা ফল কি আসলেই বিপদজনক? https://cutt.ly/jd8MDTf 

2. সরকার কি ঈদের পর সামাজিক দূরত্ব বজায় রেখে শিক্ষা প্রতিষ্ঠান খোলার সিদ্ধান্ত নিয়েছে? https://cutt.ly/kd8MYkr 

3. “বিশ্বসাহিত্য কেন্দ্রে রামায়ণ, মহাভারত ও ত্রিপিটক পেলেও আল কোরআন পাবেন না” এই দাবি কি সত্য? https://cutt.ly/qd8MPGp 

4. জীবাণুনাশক টানেল কি করোনাভাইরাস নির্মূলে কার্যকর এবং নিরাপদ? https://cutt.ly/4d8MQuH 

5. জন্স হপকিন্স বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় কি ভাইরাস বিষয়ে বিভ্রান্তিকর তথ্য প্রচার করছে?  https://cutt.ly/fd8MvyG 

6. লিবিয়া ও তিউনিসিয়া উপকূলে উদ্ধার হওয়া অভিবাসীদের মধ্যে বাংলাদেশী কেউ কি আছে? https://cutt.ly/1d8MOoc  

7. হ্যান্ড স্যানিটাইজার থেকে অগ্নিদগ্ধ হবার ঝুঁকি আছে কি? https://cutt.ly/sd8MYCf 

8. এই বাবা ও মেয়েকে কি সত্যিই মুগদা হাসপাতালের বাইরে দেখা গিয়েছে? https://cutt.ly/bd8MTem  

9. বাংলাদেশের করোনা মোকাবেলাকে কি চীনের বিশেষজ্ঞ অন্ধকারে ঢিল ছোঁড়ার মত বলেছেন? https://cutt.ly/0d8MRwn 

10. বাংলাদেশে কি করোনার ভ্যাকসিন বিনামূল্যে দেওয়া হবে? https://cutt.ly/4d8MUQK 

The applicant fact-checks using the same high standards of evidence and judgement for equivalent claims regardless of who made the claim.

Please see the following links to learn more about the scope and methodology of our fact-checking: https://cutt.ly/Od4rcbf 

Compliant.

The FactWatch scope and methodology are easily understandable and public-facing. It clearly explains how they select claims to check, how they consider the reach and importance of the claims they verify, what types of claims they focus on fact-checking, the data verification process, and how they ensure independence during the fact-checking and verification process itself."

Fact Watch provides a brief explanation of the background of the sources which are used in their posts and discloses any interests they may have.

After a review of fact-checks on topics/posts related to the government of Bangladesh, the applicant has demonstrated compliance. FactWatch declares and shows no support for any political party, politician or political candidate, nor does it advocate for or against any policy positions on any issues.

Non-partisanship policy of FactWatch: https://cutt.ly/Id4rbGc 

Non-partisanship policy of FactWatch: https://cutt.ly/Id4rbGc 

FactWatch has a policy on non-partisanship on their website. It clearly sets out conditions to ensure non-partisanship and neutrality for its staff to adhere to. However, it does not explain how it ensures that staff adhere to these conditions and what are the penalties for breaking the policy criteria. Social media of the key staff members were provided and reviewed and were not found to be in breach of FactWatch's non-partisanship policy.

Request Changes: FactWatch must explain how it ensures that staff adhere to the conditions set out for them its in non-partisanship policy.

FactWatch has a policy on non-partisanship on their website. It clearly sets out conditions to ensure non-partisanship and neutrality for its staff to adhere to. However, it does not explain how it ensures that staff adhere to these conditions and what are the penalties for breaking the policy criteria. Social media of the key staff members were provided and reviewed and were not found to be in breach of FactWatch's non-partisanship policy.

FactWatch has made the necessary changes and added a section in its non-partisanship policy about how it ensures compliance of this policy through screening of staff, trainings of policies and quarterly ethics & policy reviews.

FactWatch provides the source of all significant evidence used in their fact checks, providing all the necessary links and where links may have been removed from original source, they provide a screenshot of the evidence.

FactWatch does provide as much detail as compatible with the source's safety i.e rohingya journalists

FactWatch uses the best available primary sources of evidence wherever suitable primary sources are available. Where suitable primary sources are not available, the applicant explains the use of a secondary source. Where the link may have been taken down or removed, FactWatch provides a screenshot of the original source in the fact-check itself.

If necessary, FactWatch also verifies a claims authenticity by communicating or communicating with the primary source directly. (e.g., an individual, agency, group or journalist).

FactWatch checks all key elements of claims against more than one named source of evidence save where the one source is the only source relevant on the topic. The only evidence FactWatch accepts are from established popular and mass media, news agency, accredited publisher or journal etc.

The assessor has not come across a fact-check in which FactWatch has needed to explicitly identify 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.

FactWatch is the fact-checking section run by University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (parent organization). Details can be found here: https://cutt.ly/Yd4rTVj 

FactWatch is a fact-checking section of a private university (ULAB). They have shared proof registration of this organizational status and have provided the details on the website.

About FactWatch: 

https://cutt.ly/Yd4rTVj 

FactWatch is a fact-checking section of a private university (ULAB). They have shared proof of this organizational status. They have provided website link that confirms ownership.

FactWatch team and methodology would succinctly answer these questions:

FactWatch Team: https://cutt.ly/Pd4rDJE 

FactWatch Methodology: https://cutt.ly/9d4rSXu 

FactWatch team and methodology would succinctly answer these questions:

FactWatch Team: https://cutt.ly/Pd4rDJE 

FactWatch Methodology: https://cutt.ly/9d4rSXu 

The organizational structure of the FactWatch team provided on the website in both Bangla and English. The applicant has a dedicated page where all its team members biographies are clearly listed and their roles are briefly mentioned, with the senior staff contact emails provided. 

The methodology, contains a small section where they identify who is involved in the fact-checking process and how the process is undertaken through collective decision-making.

Request Changes:

FactWatch should provide more details on the fact-checking process itself on how and by whom editorial control is exercised (specifically mention staff titles who are involved in the decision-making).

FactWatch Team: https://cutt.ly/Pd4rDJE 

FactWatch Team: https://cutt.ly/Pd4rDJE 

FactWatch should provide more details on the fact-checking process itself on how and by whom editorial control is exercised (specifically mention staff titles who are involved in the decision-making).

On the topmost bar of the homepage, where we are encouraging users to communicate with us via email or Facebook page.

https://fact-watch.org 

On the topmost bar of the homepage, FactWatch encourages its users to communicate with their team via email or their Facebook page.

FactWatch scope and methodology: https://cutt.ly/9d4rSXu 

FactWatch scope and methodology: https://cutt.ly/9d4rSXu 

The applicant's verification methodology is accessible. It gives the general verification method for news items, specifically how they select a claim to fact-check, the data verification steps that must be followed, the categories of reporting and an explanation of their rating system.

Request Changes:

- How do they approach fact-checks that are politically sensitive, what strategy do they employ to maintain integrity and provide unbiased information on it? FactWatch should explicitly clarify this in the methodology section.

FactWatch has made the changes requested clarifying and explicitly stating in the methodology that it does not cover political statements by Bangladeshi politicians unless they involve policy-level decisions and/or information with practical public impact.

Additionally FactWatch has provided further explanation in regards to how it claims to check based on merit, the processes which is employed to conduct fact-checks within the political and legal climate of Bangladesh as part of their strategy to maintain integrity and provide unbiased information. This has been backed up with additional evidence of a number of politically sensitive fact-checks which has been provided by FactWatch.

"FactWatch does make a statement in its methodology setting out the criteria by which it selects claims to be checked and how it considers the reach any importance of the claims it checks. FactWatch selects claims based on a number of factors:

- Is it important in terms of public interest?

- Could it impact a large number of people?

- Is it difficult for people to assess the claim? Are the facts around it unclear or ambiguous? Are the facts easy to find?

- Is the content provocative, or sensitive, and could it potentially cause harm if left unchecked

After reviewing the evidence provided by FactWatch as well as conducting a randomised sample review myself, I can conclude that FactWatch does comply and strictly follows its methodology."

After reviewing the 20 factchecks provided by FactWatch as well as conducting a randomised sample review of factchecks from their website myself, I can conclude that in its factchecks, FactWatch does include the relevant evidence that either appears to support claims made or appears to undermine it, before determining which is correct. FactWatch provides links to the evidence, in the case where the link is broken or has been removed, FactWatch provides a screenshot of the evidence.

After reviewing the 20 factchecks provided by FactWatch as well as conducting a randomised sample review of factchecks from their website myself, I can conclude that FactWatch does comply in its fact checks by thoroughly assessesing the merits of the evidence found using the same high standards applied to evidence on equivalent claims, regardless of who made the claim. FactWatch in its fact-checking process, gathers evidence that supports or undermines the claim regardless of who made the initial claim. Tehy also gather evience of any conflicting information. Then they conduct a rigorous review of the primary and secondary sources available, while also asessing the reliability of the sources they have gathered for the fact-check. Once the fact checking is complete, the fact-checker involved proposes an initial rating. Subsequently, the editors and fact-checking researchers then debate the suitable rating for the claim.

In the methodology, the primary means of collecting data are mass media and social media. But if necessary, FactWatch also verifies its authenticity by directly communicating or communicating with the primary source of the news (e.g., an individual, agency, group or journalist).

We encourage our users to send us claim requests via emails and the our Facebook page. Our methodology explains what they can expect to be fact-checked. In case of any confusion, we explain our positions further to the readers (link shared before)

We also have a resource document adapted in Bangla based on the Poynter Institute’s online Hands-on Fact-checking: A Short Course that readers may find useful: https://cutt.ly/7d4r1Rs 

We encourage our users to send us claim requests via emails and the our Facebook page. Our methodology explains what they can expect to be fact-checked. In case of any confusion, we explain our positions further to the readers (link shared before)

We also have a resource document adapted in Bangla based on the Poynter Institute’s online Hands-on Fact-checking: A Short Course that readers may find useful: https://cutt.ly/7d4r1Rs 

FactWatch encourages its users to sen us claim requests via email or via the Facebook page. The FactWatch methodology explains to users what they expect to be fact-checked which has been divided in categories: internet rumors, factfile (misleading/confusing information), videos and coronavirus. However, the methodology does not explain what is not fact-checkable.

Request Changes: FactWatch must explicitly say what is not fact-checkable within their methodology.

Corrections and Complaints policy: https://cutt.ly/Ad4r9QJ 

FactWatch has a corrections or complaints policy that is easily accessible on their website.

Complains and Correction Policy and Methodology – both have been updated to explicitly reflect what we do and do not cover.

As part of our commitment to media literacy and community engagement, we intend to respond to all feedback we receive from readers. Apart from blatantly frivolous requests, we do intend take the time to inform readers about what is or is not fact-checkable and why we may not move forward with complains, corrections, or fact-check requests, citing relevant policies. The Corrections and Complaints policy has been updated to clearly reflect our response plan. This is now clearly stated in the Complains and Correction Policy on the website.

"FactWatch does have a corrections and complaints policy that is easily visible and accessible on the website. The policy does explain the complaints and corrections policy process and how it is handled and reviewed internally by FactWatch, inlcuding those requiring revised conclusions of a fact-check.

However, the policy does not set out clear definitions of what it does and does not cover, it refers to to methodology section? (however, methodology section does not state what is does not cover)

Request Changes:

- In the complaints and corrections policy, FactWatch should set out clear definitions of what it does and does not cover.

- Within the corrections and complaints policy, it does not specifically make a statement about the fact that some complaints may justify no response. FactWatch may respond to all complaints and corrections. Clarify whether FactWatch will respond to all complaints and corrections.

FactWatch has made the requested changes in the corrections and compliants policy. They have clearly explained what they do or do not cover and the process that will be implemented by staff.

We have not received any correction requests in the previous six months. However, we are committed to adhering to our corrections policy if the need should arise.

No corrections request have been made in the previous six months.

Not applicable

New organisation application

Not applicable

New organisation application