Organization: Full Fact
Applicant: Phoebe Arnold
Assessor: Raymond Joseph
Background
Launched in 2010, Full Fact is one of the oldest fact-checking organisations and is a leading and respected member of the worldwide fact-checking movement.
It was launched before the explosion of social media-driven disinformation that was to become a worldwide problem of epic proportions and, from this point of view, Full Fact was in many ways ahead of its time.The initial idea to launch Full Fact was born from “conversations about the accuracy of public debate in the UK and the gap that could be filled by a truly independent, nonpartisan and non-governmental organisation.”From the beginning, Full Fact has included a “cross-party group of trustees” to ensure it has had a board of trustees in which major political parties are also represented, to ensure neutrality. It also embraced policies, including addressing conflict of interest policy and restrictions on its staff political activity, that today is the norm for credible fact-checking organisations.I have assessed Full Fact over several and have watched as the organisation grew and matured into a leading and innovative fact-checking organisation that has been at the forefront of innovation, which includes playing a key role in developing automated fact-checking. From small beginnings, Full Fact now employs 38 staff members across six teams: Editorial, Communications, Policy & Research, Automated Fact Checking, Fundraising, and Operations. Its website is easy to navigate and displays a high degree of transparency in all aspects of its operation. It has an excellent resources section that includes tools and tips that people can use to do their own fact-checking – and also to check Full Facts fact-checks if they want. Full Fact publishes an impressive volume of fact-checks each month. At the time of this 2022 application for re-assessment, Full Fact had already published almost 393 fact-checks – at an average of just over 15 a week and was well on track to match, or even surpass, the 2021 figure of 625 fact-checks.
Assessment Conclusion
Full Fact meets all the criteria for IFCN membership. As such, I have no hesitation in recommending that its membership be renewed once again.
Raymond Joseph assesses application as Compliant
A short summary in native publishing language
See background
Section 1: Eligibility to be a signatory
To be eligible to be a signatory, applicants must meet these six criteria
- 1.1 The applicant is a legally registered organization, or a distinct team or unit within a legally registered organization, and details of this are easily found on its website.
- 1.2 The team, unit or organization is set up exclusively for the purpose of fact-checking.
- 1.3 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. For applicants from countries with at least 5 or more verified signatories need to have at least a fact check a week over the twelve months of publishing track. Consult to factchecknet@poynter.org for confirmation.
- 1.4 On average, at least 75% of the applicant’s fact checks focus on claims related to issues that, in the view of the IFCN, relate to or could have an impact on the welfare or well-being of individuals, the general public or society.
- 1.5 The applicant’s editorial output is not, in the view of the IFCN, controlled by the state, a political party or politician.
- 1.6 If the organization receives funding from local or foreign state or political sources, it provides a statement on its site setting out to the satisfaction of the IFCN, how it ensures its funders do not influence the findings of its reports.
Criteria 1.1
Proof you meet criteria
Please explain where on your website you set out information about your organization’s legal status and how this complies with criteria. Attach a link to the relevant page of your website.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago)
On every page of our website in the footer, it says:
Full Fact is a registered charity (no. 1158683) and a non-profit company (no. 6975984) limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Full Fact is registered both as a https://bit.ly/2W36LrJ and also as a non-company https://bit.ly/37VFjyy
This information, with links to full details, appears at the foot of all Full Fact (FF) web pages. The foot reads: "Full Fact is a registered charity (no. 1158683) and a non-profit company (no. 06975984) limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales." (See attached screenshot).
Its statutory reporting to the Charities Commission for England and Wales, as well as its reporting to Companies House, are both fully up-to-date and compliant.
done_all 1.1 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 1.2
Proof you meet criteria
Please answer the following questions – (see notes in Guidelines for Application on how to answer)
1. When and why was your fact-checking operation started?
2. How many people work or volunteer in the organization and what are their roles?
3. What different activities does your organization carry out?
4. What are the goals of your fact-checking operation over the coming year?
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
1. Full Fact was launched in 2010 by a cross-party group of trustees. The initial idea came from conversations about the accuracy of public debate in the UK and the gap that could be filled by a truly independent, nonpartisan and non-governmental organisation. The first task was to bring together a cross-party group of trustees to ensure that Full Fact started on a cross party basis. Before launch, we agreed rigorous safeguards in place at every level of the organisation to ensure our neutrality. These were carefully constructed based on advice from our board and examples ranging from Amnesty International to the BBC. They include the cross-party board, fundraising safeguards, a conflict of interests policy, restrictions on staff political activity, feedback processes, operating guidelines, external reviews, and more. Most importantly, they include carefully recruiting staff who are sensitive to these issues.
2. At the time of writing, Full Fact employs 38 staff members across six teams: Editorial, Communications, Policy & Research, Automated Fact Checking, Fundraising and Operations. The staff team is led by our Chief Executive and Management team, who are accountable to our volunteer trustee board. We occasionally receive support from volunteers on various projects and during elections and referendums.More information on the roles in the team is available at: https://fullfact.org/about/our-team/
3. Full Fact fights the causes and consequences of bad information in four ways:
- Fact checking - to inform our audiences and maintain scrutiny of people in power
- Corrections & interventions - to stop the spread of specific unsubstantiated claims and hold people to account
- Systems change - to help make bad information rarer and less harmful
- Advocating high standards - to help maintain high expectations of and from those in public life
4. Over the next three years, Full Fact will become the go-to place for people who want to tackle bad information in areas they care about. We will change to become much more focused on how other people can take action and to work alongside communities targeted by and with bad information. As the first step towards that, in 2022, our goal is to be the most visible campaigners for higher standards of honesty and accuracy in public debate—and not just be seen as suppliers of fact checks. Our offer to that audience comes in three parts -
1. Fact checking - to expose claims and practises that are wrong that need fixing
2. Interventions - where for the first time we will be asking 1000s of people to take action with us to demand high standards and thank those who live up to them
3. Systems change - giving people opportunities to -
- sign a petition expressing their demand for higher standards of accuracy in public life
- lobby parliament to ensure misinformation and disinformation are tackled proportionately in the Online Safety Bill
- have their say about what a good election looks like and what we can do to achieve it
We are also working to diversify our income so that we can sustain our current charity budget and work towards an ambition of getting no more than 15% of our funding from any one source
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
From Full Fact's application
1) "Full Fact (FF) was launched in 2010 by a cross-party group of trustees. The initial idea came from conversations about the accuracy of public debate in the UK and the gap that could be filled by a truly independent, nonpartisan and non-governmental organisation. The first task was to bring together a cross-party group of trustees to ensure that Full Fact started on a cross-party basis.
Before launch, we agreed [on putting] rigorous safeguards in place at every level of the organisation to ensure our neutrality. These were carefully constructed based on advice from our board and examples ranging from Amnesty International to the BBC. They include the cross-party board, fundraising safeguards, a conflict of interest policy, restrictions on staff political activity, feedback processes, operating guidelines, external reviews, and more. Most importantly, they include carefully recruiting staff who are sensitive to these issues."
2) "Full Fact currently employs 38 staff members across six teams: Editorial, Communications, Policy & Research, Automated Fact Checking, Fundraising and Operations.
The staff team is led by a Chief Executive and Management team, who are accountable to FF's volunteer trustee board. FF occasionally receives support from volunteers on various projects and during elections and referendums."
3) Full Fact fights the causes and consequences of bad information in four ways:
* Fact-checking - to inform our audiences and maintain scrutiny of people in power
* Corrections & interventions - to stop the spread of specific unsubstantiated claims and hold people to account
* Systems change - to help make bad information rarer and less harmful
* Advocating high standards - to help maintain high expectations of and from those in public life."
4) "Over the next three years, Full Fact aims to become the "go-to place" for people who want to tackle bad information in areas they care about. "We will change to become much more focused on how other people can take action and work alongside communities targeted by and with bad information. As the first step towards that, in 2022, our goal is to be the most visible campaigners for higher standards of honesty and accuracy in public debate—and not just be seen as suppliers of fact checks.
Our offer to that audience comes in three parts -
* Fact-checking - to expose claims and practices that are wrong that need fixing
* Interventions - where for the first time we will be asking 1000s of people to take action with us to demand high standards and thank those who live up to them
* Systems change - giving people opportunities to - sign a petition expressing their demand for higher standards of accuracy in public life
* Lobby parliament to ensure misinformation and disinformation are tackled proportionately in the Online Safety Bill
* Have their say about what a good election looks like and what we can do to achieve it
We are also working to diversify our income so that we can sustain our current charity budget and work towards an ambition of getting no more than 15% of our funding from any one source
done_all 1.2 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 1.3
Proof you meet criteria
- 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.
- For applicants from countries with at least 5 or more verified signatories need to have at least a fact check a week over the twelve months of publishing track.
- Consult to factchecknet@poynter.org for confirmation.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
At the time of writing, we have published 393 fact checks in 2022. In 2021 we published over 625. All our fact checks can be viewed on our website at www.fullfact.org/latest.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
FF exceeds the IFCN's minimum number of required fact-checks.
In 2021, FF published over 625 fact-checks - an average of just over 12 a week.
At the time of this 2022 application for re-assessment, FF had already published almost 393 fact-checks - an average of just over 15 a week and was well on track to match, or even surpass, the 2021 figure.
done_all 1.3 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 1.4
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will assess compliance through a review of the fact checks published over the previous three months. No additional information required.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Please see https://fullfact.org/latest/
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
FF has more than met the required volume of fact-checks over the past three months. During this period it has published fact-checks on a wide range of issues, including politics, monkeypox, Covid-19, Ukraine, energy - and more.
done_all 1.4 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 1.5
Proof you meet criteria
Please explain any commercial, financial and/or institutional relationship your organization has to the state, politicians or political parties in the country or countries you cover. Also explain funding or support received from foreign as well as local state or political actors over the previous financial year.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
We do not accept any funding from the state or political parties in the UK or otherwise. We have not received any funding from local state or political actors over the previous financial year, nor do we have any commercial or financial relationships with state or political actors.
Representatives of the largest UK political parties form part of our trustee board. We have always ensured that there is one member from each of the three largest UK-wide parties, alongside politically independent board members. All board members can be viewed on our website. Our board has no input into Full Fact’s editorial content and all editorial decisions are made by our Editor and our Chief Executive.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
FF makes it clear in its application that it does not accept any state, political party or similar funding.
I"We do not accept any funding from the state or political parties in the UK or otherwise. We have not received any funding from local state or political actors over the previous financial year, nor do we have any commercial or financial relationships with state or political actors."
FF board includes representatives of the UK's largest political parties but makes it clear that neither these political parties nor other board representatives have any part in the editorial decision-making process.
"Representatives of the largest UK political parties form part of our trustee board. We have always ensured that there is one member from each of the three largest UK-wide parties, alongside politically independent board members. All board members can be viewed on our website. Our board has no input into Full Fact’s editorial content and all editorial decisions are made by our Editor and our Chief Executive."
This is clear from the list of funders published here: https://bit.ly/3mkwMO7
done_all 1.5 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 1.6
Proof you meet criteria
If you confirmed the organization receives funding from local or foreign state or political sources, provide a link to where on your website you set out how you ensure the editorial independence of your work.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
N/A We have not received any funding from local or foreign state or political actors.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
N/A as FF has not received any funding from local or foreign state or political actors.
Details of FF's funders are published on its "about us" page,: https://bit.ly/3mkwMO7
done_all 1.6 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Section 2: A commitment to Non-partisanship and Fairness
To be compliant on nonpartisanship and fairness, applicants must meet these five criteria
- 2.1 The applicant fact-checks using the same high standards of evidence and judgement for equivalent claims regardless of who made the claim.
- 2.2 The applicant does not unduly concentrate its fact-checking on any one side, considers the reach and importance of claims it selects to check and publishes a short statement on its website to set out how it selects claims to check.
- 2.3 The applicant discloses in its fact checks relevant interests of the sources it quotes where the reader might reasonably conclude those interests could influence the accuracy of the evidence provided. It also discloses in its fact checks 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.
- 2.4 The applicant is not as an organization affiliated with nor declares or shows support for any party, any politician or political candidate, nor does it advocate for or against any policy positions on any issues save for transparency and accuracy in public debate.
- 2.5 The applicant sets out its policy on non-partisanship for staff on its site. Save for the issues of accuracy and transparency, the applicant’s staff do not get involved in advocacy or publicise their views on policy issues the organization might fact check in such a way as might lead a reasonable member of the public to see the organization’s work as biased.
Criteria 2.1
Proof you meet criteria
Please share links to 10 fact checks published over the past year that you believe demonstrate your non-partisanship.
Please briefly explain how the fact checks selected show that (I) you use the same high standards of evidence for equivalent claims, (II) follow the same essential process for every fact check and (III) let the evidence dictate your conclusions.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Full Fact is a registered charity so we are legally required to be ‘objective, ‘balanced’, and to observe ‘strict political neutrality’. We monitor media, politicians and pressure groups across the political spectrum.
When publishing roundups (multiple claims from a TV show/debate), if we check a claim from a member of the government, we ensure that we also check one from the member of the official opposition (and vice versa). We also ensure that we do not only check claims from one person in a roundup, and aim for balance from across the debate.
As fact checkers, the accuracy of our work is the highest priority. Our operating guidelines and editorial standards are designed to ensure that our work is thoroughly reviewed, well evidenced, unbiased and written in the clearest possible terms. All our pieces are reviewed by more than one fact checker and we work hard to ensure that our work is done to the highest standard.
When fact checking, we follow a clear process. First we need to understand the claim. We don’t only fact check the evidence used in a claim, but also the underlying assumption. Factually correct information can be used to make a point which is misleading or incorrect, so it’s important to draw out exactly what someone means when they make a statement.
Then (where possible) we contact the claimant. Unless the claim’s source is self-evident, we try to contact the claimant to ask them about their source, and for any other information we need to understand it.
Then we gather our evidence. We always try and gather a wide range of sources of evidence relating to a claim. We link to primary sources throughout our fact checks.
Sometimes we contact experts. We cover a wide range of topic areas, and we’re not experts on everything. We want to ensure we’re giving readers the most complete picture we can, and sometimes we need guidance in finding or understanding information. In these cases we speak to relevant experts for advice. Crucially, this grant will help to widen our access to legal expertise for legal fact checks.
Once the evidence is gathered and analysed, we can write the article. Our articles are intended to guide the reader through all the evidence as clearly as possible so that they can make up their own mind about a claim. We’ll also explain the wider context around the issue when it’s relevant to do so.
Everything we publish on our website is reviewed by two other editors before publication in order to make sure that it is correct, impartial and engaging.
Reviewing is restricted to experienced fact checkers. Our six week training programme covers statistics, impartiality, polling and surveys, making graphs, and good communication. Please see attached our reviewing checklist, which is not exhaustive.
Fact checks have a standardised claim and conclusion intended to guide not dictate readers’ conclusions.
We have also conducted an independent editorial review of our fact-checking process and outputs in 2022.
10 examples of our fact checking over the past year:
1. Labour's energy price freeze: fact checked
2. Sky News Conservative Leadership Q&A: Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss fact checked
3. Is the government going to build 48 new hospitals by 2030?
4. Liberal Democrats overstate the cost of ministerial severance pay
5. Did the Prime Minister mislead Parliament over 'Partygate'?
6. Keir Starmer wrong to say families will be £2,620 worse off this year
7. Boris Johnson makes false employment claim for ninth time in Parliament
9. 2,612% rise in food bank use under David Cameron needs context
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
1) FF submitted 10 fact-checks to illustrate its non-partiality. I have checked the submitted links and they demonstrate that FF's fact-checking covers the political spectrum and includes a wide range of issues.
These are the submitted fact-checks:
1. Labour's energy price freeze: fact-checked > https://bit.ly/3eupTI7
2. Sky News Conservative Leadership Q&A: Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss fact-checked > https://bit.ly/3Db6BSy
3. Is the government going to build 48 new hospitals by 2030? > https://bit.ly/3eG3O9L
4. Liberal Democrats overstate the cost of ministerial severance pay > https://bit.ly/3RQSPZi
5. Did the Prime Minister mislead Parliament over 'Partygate'? > https://bit.ly/3xgRyTr
6. Keir Starmer wrong to say families will be £2,620 worse off this year > https://bit.ly/3RBCl7K
7. Boris Johnson makes false employment claim for ninth time in Parliament > https://bit.ly/3RQpFtX
8. Child self-harm numbers in the Guardian, Mirror and Independent don't reflect the survey's actual findings > https://bit.ly/3TYeoch
9. 2,612% rise in food bank use under David Cameron needs context > https://bit.ly/3d35dqj
10. EU rules didn't 'ban' crown symbols on pint glasses > https://bit.ly/3RXa2R1
2 and 3) From FF's application
"Full Fact is a registered charity so we are legally required to be ‘objective, ‘balanced’, and to observe ‘strict political neutrality. We monitor media, politicians and pressure groups across the political spectrum.
When publishing roundups (multiple claims from a TV show/debate), if we check a claim from a member of the government, we ensure that we also check one from the member of the official opposition (and vice versa). We also ensure that we do not only check claims from one person in a roundup, and aim for balance from across the debate.
As fact checkers, the accuracy of our work is the highest priority. Our operating guidelines and editorial standards are designed to ensure that our work is thoroughly reviewed, well evidenced, unbiased and written in the clearest possible terms. All our pieces are reviewed by more than one fact checker and we work hard to ensure that our work is done to the highest standard.
When fact-checking, we follow a clear process.
First, we need to understand the claim. We don’t only fact-check the evidence used in a claim, but also the underlying assumption. Factually correct information can be used to make a point that is misleading or incorrect, so it’s important to draw out exactly what someone means when they make a statement.
Then (where possible) we contact the claimant. Unless the claim’s source is self-evident, we try to contact the claimant to ask them about their source, and for any other information we need to understand it.
Then we gather our evidence. We always try and gather a wide range of sources of evidence relating to a claim. We link to primary sources throughout our fact checks.
Sometimes we contact experts. We cover a wide range of topic areas, and we’re not experts on everything. We want to ensure we’re giving readers the most complete picture we can, and sometimes we need guidance in finding or understanding information. In these cases, we speak to relevant experts for advice.
Once the evidence is gathered and analysed, we can write the article. Our articles are intended to guide the reader through all the evidence as clearly as possible so that they can make up their own mind about a claim. We’ll also explain the wider context around the issue when it’s relevant to do so.
Everything we publish on our website is reviewed by two other editors before publication in order to make sure that it is correct, impartial and engaging.
Reviewing is restricted to experienced fact-checkers. Our six-week training programme covers statistics, impartiality, polling and surveys, making graphs, and good communication.
Fact checks have a standardised claim and conclusion intended to guide not dictate readers’ conclusions.
We have also conducted an independent editorial review of our fact-checking process and outputs in 2022."
See FF's policy on impartiality here: https://bit.ly/3yVThfP
From the policy: "We have rigorous safeguards in place at every level of our organisation to ensure our neutrality. These have been carefully constructed based on advice from our board and examples ranging from Amnesty International to the BBC. They include the cross-party board, fundraising safeguards, a conflict of interest policy, restrictions on staff political activity, feedback processes, operating guidelines, external reviews, and more. Most importantly, they include carefully recruiting staff who are sensitive to these issues."
See also
"How do you stay neutral? https://bit.ly/3RyLe1D
"We have a cross-party board of Trustees, with supporters of Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats represented. As a charity, we are under a legal obligation to uphold our impartiality.
The Board of Trustees does not have any control over day-to-day editorial decisions. These are the responsibility of the Chief Executive.
All staff are asked to complete a declaration of personal interests before they start work at Full Fact. Our staff agrees to abstain from expressing political opinions in public. Volunteers are also asked to provide similar declarations."
done_all 2.1 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 2.2
Proof you meet criteria
Please share a link to a place on your website where you explain how you select claims to check, explaining how you ensure you do not unduly concentrate your fact-checking on any one side, and how you consider the reach and importance of the claims you select to check.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Please refer to the FAQs section on our website:
https://fullfact.org/about/frequently-asked-questions/#request-a-check
https://fullfact.org/about/frequently-asked-questions/#what-do-you-check
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
See: "What kind of thing do you check?" https://bit.ly/3xdUQH4
"We fact-check claims in public debate which are of public interest. This includes—but is not limited to—claims made by politicians and the media.
We prioritise claims that have the most potential to cause harm to people’s lives. That could mean that they’ve been widely shared online, or feature prominently in newspapers or broadcast media, or are repeated multiple times by a party’s candidates.
We base our core areas of concern on the topics which consistently top the Ipsos MORI Issues Index. They include crime and immigration, the law, education, health and social care, and the economy."
People are also able to request that FF do a fact-check: See https://bit.ly/3yWT2kC
We cannot promise to check every claim suggested. Please say what impact you think the claim would have if it’s left unchecked."
done_all 2.2 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 2.3
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will assess compliance through a review of the fact checks published over the previous year. No additional information required.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Please see https://fullfact.org/latest/
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Criteria met. An assessment of fact-checks over the previous year reveals no bias toward any one political party, politician, or issue. It also showed that all fact-checking is done using the same criteria. See: https://bit.ly/3DkdAIO
done_all 2.3 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 2.4
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will assess compliance through a review of the fact checks published over the previous year. No additional information required.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Please see https://fullfact.org/latest/
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Criteria met. An assessment of fact-checks over the previous year reveals no bias toward any one political party, politician, or issue. It also shows that all fact-checking is done using the same criteria. See: https://bit.ly/3DkdAIO
done_all 2.4 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 2.5
Proof you meet criteria
Please share a link to a place on your website where you publish a statement setting out your policy on non-partisanship for staff and how it ensures the organization meets this criteria.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
FAQ
https://fullfact.org/about/frequently-asked-questions/#neutrality
Impartiality
https://fullfact.org/about/impartiality/
Job page under our standards and neutrality
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
See " How do you stay neutral" in FAQ > https://bit.ly/3L7r7Fm
"How do you stay neutral?
"We have a cross-party board of Trustees, with supporters of Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats represented. As a charity, we are under a legal obligation to uphold our impartiality.
The Board of Trustees does not have any control over day-to-day editorial decisions. These are the responsibility of the Chief Executive.
All staff are asked to complete a declaration of personal interests before they start work at Full Fact. Our staff agrees to abstain from expressing political opinions in public. Volunteers are also asked to provide similar declarations."
Impartiality (see: https://bit.ly/3yVThfP)
See "Jobs" page under "our standards and neutrality" > https://bit.ly/37SPcx8
"Our standards and neutrality
Full Fact’s work must be independent, impartial, rigorous and balanced. It’s essential that we have clear rules in place to ensure that, and they entail some requirements for members of our team while you work here.
You will be required to operate within our standards, including the Nolan Principles of conduct in public life, our rules on conflicts of interest and so on.
You will have to complete a declaration of personal interests form in the later stages of recruitment, once a year while you work here, and whenever your circumstances change. This is to help us ensure that any potential or potentially perceived conflicts of interest are managed and mitigated so that they do not affect either Full Fact’s or your own work and reputation.
Although anybody is entitled to be a non-active member of a political party or other organisation within the law, if you come to work here you won’t be able to:
Say publicly how you vote or express support for any political party
Express a view for or against any policy that’s currently a topic of political debate
We do encourage people to contribute to public life in ways that are compatible with our non-partisan role — where possible within our resources, we support people to do voluntary work such as jury service, magistracy, reserve forces and so on."
done_all 2.5 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Section 3: A commitment to Standards and Transparency of Sources
To be compliant on sources, applicants must meet these four criteria
- 3.1 The applicant identifies the source of all significant evidence used in their fact checks, providing relevant links where the source is available online, in such a way that users can replicate their work if they wish. In cases where identifying the source would compromise the source’s personal security, the applicant provides as much detail as compatible with the source’s safety.
- 3.2 The applicant uses the best available primary, not secondary, 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.
- 3.3 The applicant 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.
- 3.4 The applicant 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.
Criteria 3.1
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the applicant’s use of sources in a randomised sample of its fact checks to assess compliance. No additional evidence is required.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
A randomised sample of fact-checks shows that FF uses - and usually links to - a wide range of sources in its fact-checks. By doing this, readers can fact-check the fact-checkers.
done_all 3.1 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 3.2
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the applicant’s use of sources in a randomised sample of its fact checks to assess compliance. No additional evidence is required.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
A randomised assessment of fact-checks shows that FF uses and links, whenever possible, to credible primary sources for fact-checking purposes.
done_all 3.2 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 3.3
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the applicant’s use of sources in a randomised sample of its fact checks to assess compliance. No additional evidence is required.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
A random assessment shows that FF uses more than one source, both human and document, for fact-checking. I was unable to find any examples of fact-checks that relied on a single source.
done_all 3.3 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 3.4
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the applicant’s use of sources in a randomised sample of its fact checks to assess compliance. No additional evidence is required.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
A random assessment of fact-checks reveals that FF gives details of their sources' history/background so that any possible potential bias - real or perceived - is clear to readers.
done_all 3.4 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Section 4: A commitment to Transparency of Funding & Organization
To be compliant on funding and organization, applicants must meet these five criteria
- 4.1 Applicants that are independent organizations have a page on their website detailing each source of funding accounting for 5% or more of total revenue for its previous financial year. This page also sets out the legal form in which the organization is registered (e.g. as a non-profit, as a company etc).
- 4.2 Applicants that are the fact-checking section or unit of a media house or other parent organization make a statement on ownership.
- 4.3 A statement on the applicant’s website sets out the applicant’s organizational structure and makes clear how and by whom editorial control is exercised.
- 4.4 A page on the applicant’s website details the professional biography of all those who, according to the organizational structure and play a significant part in its editorial output.
- 4.5 The applicant provides easy means on its website and/or via social media for users to communicate with the editorial team.
Criteria 4.1
Proof you meet criteria
Please confirm whether you are an ‘independent organization’
or ‘the fact-checking section or unit of a media house or other parent organization’ and share proof of this organizational status.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Full Fact is an independent organisation. A registered charity (no. 1158683) and a non-profit company (no. 6975984) limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Full Fact is an independent organisation. It is registered both as a charity (no. 1158683) and a non-profit company limited by guarantee ( and registered in England and Wales. no. 6975984)
Proof of independent charity status. See: https://bit.ly/3y1ZwgX
Proof of independent company registration: See: https://bit.ly/37VFjyy
done_all 4.1 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 4.2
Proof you meet criteria
If your organization is an “independent organization”, please share a link to the page on your website where you detail your funding and indicate the legal form in which the organization is registered (e.g. as a non-profit, as a company etc).
If your organization is “the fact-checking section or unit of a media house or other parent organization”, please share a link to the statement on your website about your ownership.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
https://fullfact.org/about/funding/
The footer on each page on our website includes the following: Full Fact is a registered charity (no. 1158683) and a non-profit company (no. 6975984) limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
The footer on every page on the FF site includes the following: Full Fact is a registered charity (no. 1158683) and a non-profit company (no. 6975984) limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales.
It includes links to:
Proof of independent charity status. See: https://bit.ly/3y1ZwgX
Proof of independent company registration: See: https://bit.ly/37VFjyy
done_all 4.2 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 4.3
Proof you meet criteria
Please share a link to where on your website you set out your organizational structure, making clear how and by whom editorial control is exercised.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
You can see all of our staff and their roles at: https://fullfact.org/about/our-team/
You can see how our editorial process works at: https://fullfact.org/about/frequently-asked-questions/#how-do-you-factcheck
Our FAQ on How do you stay neutral? states that "The Board of Trustees does not have any control over day-to-day editorial decisions. These are the responsibility of the Chief Executive."
Our funding page states: "Our funders have no input into our editorial content or decision making."
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Details of FF's staff and their roles: https://bit.ly/2XFhjxX
Details of how FF goes about its fact-checks: https://bit.ly/3ghU2Zf
Details of neutrality: https://bit.ly/3mkwMO7
Under "How do you stay neutral? the following is stated: "The Board of Trustees does not have any control over day-to-day editorial decisions. These are the responsibility of the Chief Executive."
The funding page (https://bit.ly/3mkwMO7) states: "Our funders have no input into our editorial content or decision making."
And, the Funding section in the FAQs (https://bit.ly/3mkwMO7) states: "Our funders have no input into our editorial content or decision making."
done_all 4.3 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 4.4
Proof you meet criteria
Please share a link to where on your website you set out the professional biographies of those who play a significant part in your organization’s editorial output.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Professional bios of the FF team: https://bit.ly/2XFhjxX
done_all 4.4 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 4.5
Proof you meet criteria
Please share a link to where on your website you encourage users to communicate with your editorial team.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
The "contact" page is available via the "Get involved tab in the navigation bar at the top of all the site's pages https://bit.ly/3yWT2kC
There are also details of how users can give feedback here: https://bit.ly/37YFwky
done_all 4.5 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Section 5: A commitment to Standards and Transparency of Methodology
To be compliant on methodology, applicants must meet these six criteria
- 5.1 The applicant publishes on its website a statement about the methodology it uses to select, research, write and publish its fact checks.
- 5.2 The applicant selects claims to check based primarily on the reach and importance of the claims, and where possible explains the reason for choosing the claim to check.
- 5.3 The applicant sets out in its fact checks relevant evidence that appears to support the claim as well as relevant evidence that appears to undermine it.
- 5.4 The applicant in its fact checks assesses the merits of the evidence found using the same high standards applied to evidence on equivalent claims, regardless of who made the claim.
- 5.5 The applicant seeks where possible to contact those who made the claim to seek supporting evidence, noting that (I) this is often not possible with online claims, (II) if the person who makes the claim fails to reply in a timely way this should not impede the fact check, (III) if a speaker adds caveats to the claim, the fact-checker should be free to continue with checking the original claim, (IV) fact-checkers may not wish to contact the person who made the claim for safety or other legitimate reasons.
- 5.6 The applicant 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.
Criteria 5.1
Proof you meet criteria
Please provide a link to the statement on your website that explains the methodology you use to select, research, write and publish your fact checks.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
We cover this in a few FAQs
What kind of sources do you use? https://fullfact.org/about/frequently-asked-questions/#sources
Why don't you have ratings? https://fullfact.org/about/frequently-asked-questions/#ratings
How do you fact check? https://fullfact.org/about/frequently-asked-questions/#how-do-you-factcheck
We have also published Full Fact’s Operating Guidelines for the Third Party Fact Checking programme publicly here https://fullfact.org/media/uploads/tpfc-q1q2-2019.pdf from page 36 onwards.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
FF's methodology is covered in several parts of the FAQs.
What kind of sources do you use? https://bit.ly/3TUIwp3
Why don't you have ratings? https://bit.ly/3U1GlQE
How do you fact-check? https://bit.ly/3ghU2Zf
Full Fact also publishes its "Operating Guidelines for the Third Party Fact Checking programme publicly (from page 36 onward) here: We have also published Full Fact’s Operating Guidelines for the Third Party Fact Checking programme publicly here: https://bit.ly/37VceDt
done_all 5.1 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 5.2
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the methodology used in a randomised sample of your fact checks to assess compliance with these criteria. No additional evidence is required.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Based on a random review of fact-checks, FF is compliant with the required criteria.
done_all 5.2 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 5.3
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the methodology used in a randomised sample of your fact checks to assess compliance with these criteria. No additional evidence is required.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Based on a random assessment of fact-checks, I am satisfied that FF sets out relevant evidence that supports the claim being checked. FF also publishes evidence that appears to undermine the claim, if such conflicting evidence exists.
done_all 5.3 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 5.4
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the methodology used in a randomised sample of your fact checks to assess compliance with these criteria. No additional evidence is required.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
After doing a random assessment of fact-checks, I am satisfied that FF applies the same protocols and standards, irrespective of who has made the claim
done_all 5.4 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 5.5
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the methodology used in a randomised sample of your fact checks to assess compliance with these criteria. No additional evidence is required.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
After doing a random assessment of fact-checks, I am satisfied that where necessary, and practical, FF attempts to contact the person making a claim to request any supporting evidence they might have.
done_all 5.5 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 5.6
Proof you meet criteria
Please describe how you encourage 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. Include links where appropriate. If you do not allow this, explain why.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
We invite people to send us claims to check through our contact form https://fullfact.org/about/contact/ and through our WhatsApp number https://fullfact.org/get-involved/suggest-a-fact-check/
Also please refer to the FAQs section “How can I ask you to check a claim?” and “What kind of thing do you check?”
Our toolkit pages help people understand how to spot misleading information: https://fullfact.org/toolkit/
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
FF invites people to submit claims for checking via this contact form (https://bit.ly/3yWT2kC) and through a dedicated WhatsApp number. https://fullfact.org/get-involved/suggest-a-fact-check/see here: https://bit.ly/3qsIbw3
The FAQs section has a “How can I ask you to check a claim?” https://bit.ly/3QF2ykh
"We cannot promise to check every claim suggested. Please say what impact you think the claim would have if it’s left unchecked."
“What kind of thing do you check?” See: https://bit.ly/3xdUQH4
"We fact-check claims in public debate which are of public interest. This includes—but is not limited to—claims made by politicians and the media.
We prioritise claims that have the most potential to cause harm to people’s lives. That could mean that they’ve been widely shared online, feature prominently in newspapers or broadcast media, or are repeated multiple times by a party’s candidates.
We base our core areas of concern to the topics which consistently top the Ipsos MORI Issues Index. They include crime and immigration, the law, education, health, and social care, and the economy."
FF also has an excellent toolkit page with tips on how to identify "bad information", as well as links to free tools and resources so that people can do their own fact-checks for possible mis- or disinformation. See: https://fullfact.org/toolkit/
done_all 5.6 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Section 6: A commitment to an Open & Honest Corrections Policy
To be compliant on corrections policy, applicants must meet these five criteria
- 6.1 The applicant has a corrections or complaints policy that is easily visible and accessible on the organization’s website or frequently referenced in broadcasts.
- 6.2 The policy sets out clear definitions of what it does and does not cover, how major mistakes, especially those requiring revised conclusions of a fact check, are handled, and the fact that some complaints may justify no response. This policy is adhered to scrupulously.
- 6.3 Where credible evidence is provided that the applicant has made a mistake worthy of correction, the applicant makes a correction openly and transparently, seeking as far as possible to ensure that users of the original see the correction and the corrected version.
- 6.4 The applicant, if an existing signatory, should either on its corrections/complaints page or on the page where it declares itself an IFCN signatory inform users that if they believe the signatory is violating the IFCN Code, they may inform the IFCN, with a link to the IFCN site.
- 6.5 If the applicant is the fact-checking unit of a media company, it is a requirement of signatory status that the parent media company has and adheres to an open and honest corrections policy.
Criteria 6.1
Proof you meet criteria
Please provide a link to where you publish on your website your corrections or complaints policy. If you are primarily a broadcaster, please provide evidence you frequently reference your corrections policy in broadcasts.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Our feedback and complaints process are captured here: https://fullfact.org/about/feedback/ and under the FAQs questions “How can I make a complaint about Full Fact?”. We also invite people to read the IFCN's complaints policy here: https://fullfact.org/about/international-fact-checking-network/
We tell people what we do when we make a mistake here: https://fullfact.org/about/frequently-asked-questions/#corrections
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
FF's "feedback and complaints" process is explained in the "About us" section, which can be accessed via the navigation bar across the top of all web pages: https://bit.ly/37YFwky
There is a link to the "feedback and complaints" page in the FAQs: https://bit.ly/3B6tcx0
People are also informed of the IFCN's complaints policy here: https://bit.ly/31XuPgg The policy also includes a link to the INSP's complaints form. https://bit.ly/2S4TNok
done_all 6.1 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 6.2
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the corrections policy to verify it meets critera. No additional information needed.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
FF's corrections policy is clearly marked and is explained in simple, easy-to-understand language. The policy meets all of INSP's requirements for corrections: https://bit.ly/37YFwky
done_all 6.2 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 6.3
Proof you meet criteria
Please provide a short statement about how the policy was adhered to over the previous year (or six months if this is the first application) including evidence of two examples of the responses provided by the applicant to a correction request over the previous year. Where no correction request has been made in the previous year, you must state this in your application, which will be publicly available in the assessment if your application is successful.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
To date in 2022, we have made corrections to 25 fact checks, all in line with our feedback and corrections policy. Details of all 25 fact checks can be found on our public corrections page: https://fullfact.org/about/corrections/
All corrected articles note the correction and the date it was made at the bottom of the article.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
So far in 2022, FF has made corrections to 25 fact checks, in line with its feedback and corrections policy. Details of all 25 fact checks can be found on a public corrections page: https://bit.ly/37TsMvL
Details of all corrections and the date that they were made are also included at the bottom of all corrected fact-checks.
done_all 6.3 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 6.4
Proof you meet criteria
If you are an existing signatory, please provide a link to show where on your site you inform users that if they believe you are violating the IFCN Code, they may inform the IFCN of this, with a link to the complaints page on the IFCN site.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Details of IFCN's Code of Principles can be found here. https://bit.ly/31XuPgg A link to IFCN's complaints form is included at the end of the page. https://bit.ly/2S4TNok
done_all 6.4 marked as Compliant by Raymond Joseph.
Criteria 6.5
Proof you meet criteria
If you are the fact-checking unit of a media company, please provide a link to the parent media company’s honest and open corrections policy and provide evidence that it adheres to this.
Full Fact
16-Aug-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
This is not applicable.
Raymond Joseph Assessor
08-Sep-2022 (2 years ago) Updated: 2 years ago
Not applicable. Full Fact is an independent fact-checking organisation. It is not affiliated with any media company.