Organization: Libération - CheckNews
Applicant: Pauline Moullot
Assessor: Laurent Bigot
Conclusion and recommendations
Laurent Bigot wrote:
According to my assessment, I think Libération / Désintox should be accepted as a reliable fact-checking partner. This media is compliant with the large majority of the principles enacted by the IFCN.
The only points of uncertainty is that Désintox doesn’t list its journalists’ biographies, it doesn’t explain its fact-checking methodology publicly and clearly, it doesn’t indicate to readers how they can send claims to fact-check and which ones…
I e-mailed Pauline Moullot, from Désintox about the missing information, but she hasn’t answered yet.
Laurent Bigot recommended Accept with edits
Section 1: Organization
Criterion 1a
Proof of registration
Evidence required: Please provide evidence that the signatory is a legally-registered organization set up exclusively for the purpose of fact-checking or the distinct fact-checking project of a recognized media house or research institution.
Libération - CheckNews
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
http://www.liberation.fr/cgvu/#charte-ethique
In the menu of Libération, you can find the section Désintox
Laurent Bigot Assessor
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
Désintox is the distinct fact-checking section of Libération, a legally registered French media outlet. All the evidence of its legal registration are presented in the “Mentions légales” through its ISSN and CPPAP numbers, here: http://www.liberation.fr/cgvu/
done_all 1a marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Criterion 1b
Archive
Evidence required: Insert a link to the archive of fact checks published in the previous three months. If you do not collect all fact checks in one place, please explain how the fact-checking is conducted by your organization.
Libération - CheckNews
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
Laurent Bigot Assessor
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
Désintox publishes reports regularly about the accuracy of claims. It does so with approximately one fact-check daily over the previous three months. All its work is published here: http://www.liberation.fr/desintox,99721
done_all 1b marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Section 2: Nonpartisanship and Fairness
Criterion 2a
Body of work sample
Evidence required: Please share links to ten fact checks that better represent the scope and consistency of your fact-checking. Provide a short explanation of how your organization strives to maintain coherent standards across fact checks.
Libération - CheckNews
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
Libé Désintox fact-checks all politicians of the political spectrum in France. The team listens to all interviews and we decide collectively which claims can be fact-checked or not. We only publish fact-checks where claims are false because it has been our editorial policy since we started in 2008. We start the fact-check with the claim (intox) and then explain why it is wrong in a second part (désintox).
Laurent Bigot Assessor
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
Désintox selects 10 fact-checks to prove scope and consistency of its work:
These examples show that Désintox covers a variety of speakers (Marine Le Pen, François Fillon, Jean-Luc-Mélenchon, Emmanuel Macron, Benoît Hamon, etc.) and that its fact-checks are non-partisan work.
The Désintox team explains that its work concerns “all politicians of the political spectrum in France” : accordind to our assessment, that’s right.
The Désintox team also explains that its job presents an editorial particularity: since its beginning, in 2008, it only fact-checks false claims. All the articles are built in the same way: the fact-check star with the false claim (“intox”) and then the journalists explain why it is wrong and what the truth is (“désintox”). But they concern a wide variety of topics without bias.
done_all 2a marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Criterion 2b
Nonpartisanship policy
Evidence required: Please share evidence of your policy preventing staff from direct involvement in political parties and advocacy organizations. Please also indicate the policy your organization has as a whole regarding advocacy and supporting political candidates.
Libération - CheckNews
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
It is all explained in this chart: http://www.liberation.fr/cgvu/#charte-ethique
Laurent Bigot Assessor
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
To explain its policies to preserve its non-partisan way of fact-checking claims, Désintox mention the Libération code of ethics: http://www.liberation.fr/cgvu/#charte-ethique
This document mentions that Libération is a free, vigilant and independent daily newspaper. It evokes several rules that guaranty the credibility of its work:
“The continuity of these principles detailed in this code of ethics is indispensable to guarantee the editorial independence and the quality of credible and rigorous news that make the value of Liberation’s publications.” (…)
“Liberation opposes skepticism to both official speeches and personal inclination, that is essential to the respect of facts.” (…)
“A "good" information is necessarily contradictory.” (…)
“The CIE (Editorial independence committee) ensures the application of this code of ethics.” (…)
“The association SJPL (Journalists and staff society), composed of Libération journalists holding a press card and other employees of Libération, is responsible for the editorial independence defense and ethical rules compliance in the company’s newsrooms.” (…)
done_all 2b marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Section 3: Transparency of Sources
Criterion 3a
Sources Policy
Please share a brief and public explanation (500 words max) of how sources are provided in enough detail that readers could replicate the fact check. If you have a public policy on how you find and use sources for your fact-checking, it should be shared here.
Libération - CheckNews
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
Everytime we publish the fact-check we explain in the article how the claim turns out to be wrong. As you can see in the fact-checks listed above, it can be in chronologic order or using different sources. The date and a hyperlink of the source is always provided. When there are different sources, we also list all of them.
Laurent Bigot Assessor
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
The Libération’s staff explain the way it provides sources to the readers :
“Everytime we publish the fact-check we explain in the article how the claim turns out to be wrong. As you can see in the fact-checks listed above, it can be in chronologic order or using different sources. The date and a hyperlink of the source is always provided. When there are different sources, we also list all of them.”
According to our assessment, the Libération’s fact-checkers always give details to the readers, so that they are able to replicate the fact-check by their own means.
Besides, Libération has a specific policy on sources, which is mentioned here: : http://www.liberation.fr/cgvu/#charte-ethique
It evokes its “scrupulous respect for professional ethics in all areas, from the sources verification to the accuracy of the quotes and the explicit mention of the origins of (its) information”. It also explains that “all information is rigorously sourced” and that “the use of anonymous sources is an exception, not a rule”.
done_all 3a marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Section 4: Transparency of Funding & Organization
Criterion 4a
Funding Sources
Evidence required: Please link to the section where you publicly list your sources of funding (including, if they exist, any rules around which types of funding you do or don't accept), or a statement on ownership if you are the branch of an established media organization or research institution.
Libération - CheckNews
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
We are part of Libération.
Laurent Bigot Assessor
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
Désintox is the fact-checking section of a media house named Libération. And the ownership of Libération is detailed here: http://www.liberation.fr/cgvu/#mentions-legales
This page explains that the main shareholder is Altice Média Group.
done_all 4a marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Criterion 4b
Staff
Evidence required: Please link to the section detailing all authors and key actors behind your fact-checking project with their biographies. You can also list the name and bios of the members of the editorial board, pool of experts, advisory board, etc. if your organization has those.
Libération - CheckNews
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
Cédric Mathiot (https://twitter.com/LibeDesintox), Pauline Moullot (https://twitter.com/paulinemoullot), Vincent Coquaz (https://twitter.com/VincentCoquaz), Jacques Pezet (https://twitter.com/Jacques_Pezet), Valentin Graff (https://twitter.com/vaIgraff).
Laurent Bigot Assessor
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
There’s no section detailing authors behind the project and their biographies on the website.
But all the articles are signed by their author and all the authors are easy to find on Twitter:
there’s a general Twitter account for Désintox and Cédric Mathiot (https://twitter.com/LibeDesintox), and others Twitter accounts for Pauline Moullot (https://twitter.com/paulinemoullot), Vincent Coquaz (https://twitter.com/VincentCoquaz), Jacques Pezet (https://twitter.com/Jacques_Pezet), Valentin Graff (https://twitter.com/vaIgraff), where it’s possible to find succinct biographies.
cancel 4b marked as Non compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Criterion 4c
Contact
Evidence required: Please link to the section where readers can get in touch with the organization.
Libération - CheckNews
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
Readers can contact us through Twitter, Facebook or via this form on Libération: http://www.liberation.fr/contacts/
Laurent Bigot Assessor
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
It’s quite easy for readers to contact Désintox : they can use the Twitter accounts mentioned above or the Désintox Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/DesintoxLiberation/) ; and they can use the Libération pages called “contact” (http://www.liberation.fr/contacts/) and “mentions légales” (http://www.liberation.fr/cgvu/#mentions-legales), which explains that to join a journalist, you just have to send him an e-mail on the model : first name initial.lastname@liberation.fr
done 4c marked as Partially compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Section 5: Transparency of Methodology
Criterion 5a
Detailed Methodology
Evidence required: Please link to a section or article detailing the steps you follow for your fact-checking work.
Libération - CheckNews
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
The methodology consists in listening to all tv/radio interviews of main politicians, meetings and tv debates. Listing claims that seem fact-checkable and then collectively decide if we work on it or not. Once the claim is checked, if it turns out to be false we publish a fact-check explaining where and when the claim was heard, why it is wrong and what it means in a larger way. The fact-check is read by Libération's editors before it is published.
Laurent Bigot Assessor
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
The Désintox team exposes its methodology to the IFCN like that:
“The methodology consists in listening to all tv/radio interviews of main politicians, meetings and tv debates. Listing claims that seem fact-checkable and then collectively decide if we work on it or not. Once the claim is checked, if it turns out to be false we publish a fact-check explaining where and when the claim was heard, why it is wrong and what it means in a larger way. The fact-check is read by Libération's editors before it is published.”
But there’s no accessible place on its website or on its social media’s accounts where it explains this methodology publicly and clearly.
cancel 5a marked as Non compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Criterion 5b
Claim submissions
Evidence required: Please link to the page or process through which readers can submit claims to fact-check. If you do not allow this, please briefly explain why.
Libération - CheckNews
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
Readers can submit claims to fact-checks through Twitter. https://twitter.com/LibeDesintox
Laurent Bigot Assessor
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
There’s no dedicated page to invite readers to submit claims to fact-check.
But they can use the same ways they use to contact the organization staff (mentioned above):
the Twitter accounts for Désintox and Cédric Mathiot (https://twitter.com/LibeDesintox), and others Twitter accounts for Pauline Moullot (https://twitter.com/paulinemoullot), Vincent Coquaz (https://twitter.com/VincentCoquaz), Jacques Pezet (https://twitter.com/Jacques_Pezet), Valentin Graff (https://twitter.com/vaIgraff), or the Désintox Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/DesintoxLiberation/) ; and they can use the Libération pages called “contact” (http://www.liberation.fr/contacts/) and “mentions légales” (http://www.liberation.fr/cgvu/#mentions-legales), which explains that to join a journalist, you just have to send him an e-mail on the model : first name initial.lastname@liberation.fr
done 5b marked as Partially compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Section 6: Open & Honest Corrections Policy
Criterion 6a
Corrections policy
Evidence required: Please link to the page with your policy to address corrections. If it is not public, please share your organization's handbook.
Libération - CheckNews
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
We don't have a public corrections policy. Everytime we observe there is a mistake or something not factual enough in a fact-check we correct it and add an "edit" at the end of the article saying what we corrected and when. It's Libération's policy in general.
Laurent Bigot Assessor
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
Désintox and Libération have no public corrections policy. But they have a corrections policy. The staff explains it: “Everytime we observe there is a mistake or something not factual enough in a fact-check we correct it and add an "edit" at the end of the article saying what we corrected and when. It's Libération's policy in general.”
done 6a marked as Partially compliant by Laurent Bigot.
Criterion 6b
Examples of corrections
Evidence required: Please provide two examples of a correction made, or correction requests handled, in the past year.
Libération - CheckNews
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
There are two examples of corrections in these fact-checks:
Laurent Bigot Assessor
26-Mar-2017 (7 years ago)
It seems that Désintox has implemented its corrections policy in two recent fact-checks: