Real or Not is a fact-checking project run by Myanmar ICT for Development Organization (MIDO) since 2015. MIDO is a Myanmar-based civil society organization. This information is available on the Real or Not website: https://www.realornotmm.info/about-us/

The Fact-checking project, Real or Not that is initiative project of MIDO since 2015. MIDO is a registered organization under Myanmar's law. And they have a team under this law and also they have different team members to run Real or Not that has not registered yet. Even they registered their organization, MIDO, it is not easily found on their website or page. 

1.  When and why was your fact-checking operation started?
   
   As a thought leader on digital rights, MIDO recognised that the rise of social media use in Myanmar - especially linked to the landmark 2015 general elections - made fake news a powerful tool in fostering conflict and violence in society. To mitigate the impact of mis/disinformation in threatening peace and social harmony, MIDO launched the Real or Not Fact-checking Program in 2015.
   
   
2. How many people work or volunteer in the organization and what are their roles?
   
   

   All Real or Not team members are part of MIDO’s 30 full-time staff. Real or Not have 3 full time fact-checkers and 5 part-time operations managers. An additional fact-checker will join the team in June. Real or Not also works on media and digital literacy in connection to fact-checking and to increase public awareness about mis/disinformation. The team also develops curricula and provides training on fact-checking to local media outlets.

   
   
3. What different activities does your organization carry out?
   
   

   MIDO’s main areas of work:

   1. Advocacy: we work on promoting digital rights based on international human rights standards and norms.
   2. Research: we conduct research on the misinformation ecosystem, social media in Myanmar, peace building in the digital age and digital inclusion, among others.
   3. Education and training: we develop curricula and provide training on media/digital literacy, fact-checking and digital security.
   4. Social media monitoring and fact-checking: Real or Not is our flagship fact-checking initiative.
   
   
   

4.   What are the goals of your fact-checking operation over the coming year?

   Real or Not aims to continue publishing well-researched fact-checking articles multiple times a week. As a team, we will deepen our expertise on fact-checking methods related to budget transparency, economics, investment, environmental impact, health, and politics. We also plan to conduct more interviews with sources linked to fact-check stories and experts who can raise public awareness on the importance of digital literacy and fighting mis/disinformation. Real or Not will continue to run its public Viber channel to tackle misinformation related to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. 
   

The fact-checking project, Real or Not, has a team to set up for the purpose of fact-checking. They started this fact-checking project since 2015 a part of the initial fact check project of MIDO. MIDO has an exclusive team for this fact-checking program, Real or Not. According to the applicants' answers, they have full-time exclusive team members for this fact-checking program, and also they have part-time managers to supervise the fact-checkers. 

From my point of view as an assessor, they meet criteria 1.2. 

The link is their team profile : 

https://www.realornotmm.info/team-profile-english/?lang=en

The spreadsheet is attached.

Real or Not, fact-checking website (including Facebook) has been published the fact check articles at least 3 or 4 stories per week on their pages. This rate is estimate numbers from the randomized sample of assessor before Covid-19 positive cases in Myanmar. After finding Covid-19 positive cases in Myanmar (this was late of March 2020), Real or Not has been more active before. As soon as Myanmar found COVID-19 positive cases, rumors, and myths are spreading with the fast speed on social media. So people need more fact-checking stories based on facts and Real or Not has published fact checks at least 6 or 7 stories per week. They used to publish 2 or 3 fact check stories per day in some days. 

For Criteria 1.3, they meet this based on the assessor's assessment.  

According to the assessment of over 3 months fact checks on Real or Not, all of their fact checks are related to the impacts on the welfare of individuals, the general public, and society. Most of their fact check stories during the three months are effective to the general public and individual because at that time Covid-19 pandemic was escalating in Myanmar. According to the Covid-19 pandemic, tons of rumors and myths are spreading to the general public through social media. These all are impacted by the real lives of people. Almost all of the Fact check stories of Real or Not during these months are regarding with Covid-19. And they have been published the fact check stories regarding misinformation, rumors, and myths. 

MIDO’s relationship with state and political actors in Myanmar and abroad is based on the principles of our Non-partisanship Policy. This allows us to provide policy advice and training to public officials and political actors on a non-partisan and non-exclusive basis while remaining independent from the influence of any political agenda. You can find the policy here: https://www.realornotmm.info/non-partisanship-policy/?lang=en

MIDO shared detailed information with IFCN on our funding sources.

The output of Real or Not is not controlled be State, political party or politician. According to their code of conduct, they described very clearly that they follow non-partisanship policy. Based on the information of assessor, they receive the funding from Local and international organizations. 

MIDO’s Non-partisanship Policy and Real or Not’s Code of Conduct set out our commitment to editorial independence, including from MIDO’s donors. You can find them here: https://www.realornotmm.info/non-partisanship-policy/?lang=en

MIDO shared detailed information with IFCN on our funding sources.

Definitely they received the funding from Local and International organizations as their main funding sources according to the assessor’s information. Although they haven’t mentioned their funding sources to be seen clearly on their page and site, they follow non-partisanship policy for all employees, interns, volunteers and members of board.

The link is their Code of Conduct and explanation of non-partisanship policy.

 https://www.realornotmm.info/non-partisanship-policy/?lang=en

Our fact-check process is driven by evidence based on a wide range of online sources we consult with the help of our verification tool set, and on the input of trusted experts. The published fact check stories aim to answer three basic questions:

1. Relevance: why does this story need to be verified?

2. Methodology: how is this story verified?

3. Real or Not: what are the facts based on the evidence we found?

Ten fact-check stories:

1. False video about the civil war in Northern Shan State

https://www.realornotmm.info/2019/08/17/lashio-fighting-war-northern-shan-false-video/

2. Facebook page aiming to spread disinformation about the elections

https://www.realornotmm.info/2019/09/20/election-disinformation-facebook-page/

3. False claims about a cold wave in Myanmar between December 24 and 29 

https://www.realornotmm.info/2019/11/17/coldwave_will_occur_during_dec24_to_29/

4. Misleading news about the retirement of a rector monk 

https://www.realornotmm.info/2019/11/13/dr-nandamalabhivamsa_retire_misleading_news/

5. False video about pro-Rohingya protest against the government during the ICJ hearing

https://www.realornotmm.info/2019/12/10/netherlands-thehague-icj-rohingya-supporters-protest-false-video-disinformation/

6. Using old photos from 2017 as anti-Rohingya propaganda

https://www.realornotmm.info/2019/12/11/using_oldphotos_from_2017_as_rohingya_propaganda/

7. False video about child kidnapping

https://www.realornotmm.info/2019/12/05/false_video_about_child_kidnapping_myitkyina/

8. False news about Rathedaung Thameehla village burning

https://www.realornotmm.info/2020/02/14/rathedaung-thameehla-village-fire-falsenews/

9. False news about the Myanmar military burning a member of the Arakan Army

https://www.realornotmm.info/2020/02/24/aa-false-news-burning-youth-disinformation/

10. Clickbait pages selling chloroquine-based medicine claiming to cure COVID-19 

https://www.realornotmm.info/2020/03/30/fact-check-chloroquine-false-news

Regarding the fact checks of Real or Not, their stories are using a high standard of evidence for the claims regardless of who made the claim. Assessor read randomly the fact checks on their page and their sample stories as well. Based on these stories, they use a high standard of evidence for every story. They collected and put the sources as much as they can for every single fact checks to verify that is false. They used the dependable sources (from media and reliable sources) to be proving for their fact checks. Most of the stories, they tried to get reliable sources. Their fact checks are used the equivalent evidence regardless of who made the claims. 

Sample stories: 

1. False news about MRTV (Myanma Radio and Television) published news that Military is rebel armed organization 

https://www.realornotmm.info/2020/05/22/fact-check-tatmadaw-manipulated-video/

2. False news about regional MP fraud funding money from fever clinic of Covid-19 

https://www.realornotmm.info/2020/05/19/fact-check-south-dagon-representative-u-nyi-nyi-cheat-the-donation-money-disinformation/

3.False news about two staffs of Facebook Myanmar team infected Covid-19 

https://www.realornotmm.info/2020/04/15/fact-check-facebook-team-covid-19-infected-two-myanmar-employees-disinformation/

https://www.realornotmm.info/methodology/

For every stage of fact checks, they followed the detailed methodology mentioned on their web page. Regarding their methodology, Real or Not selected the stories with some criteria. They mentioned why the claims need to fact check, how do they verify and find fact-based evidence. 

Detailed methodology can be found on this page.

 https://www.realornotmm.info/methodology/?lang=en

Real or not based on the facts for their fact check stories. According to the reviews of the stories over the past year, the applicant’s fact check stories are more like focused on facts that are from reliable sources. These sources are from independent media and primary sources for every relevant claim. Although they used reliable sources as much as they can, they haven't used to disclose the relevant interest and relationship. Sometimes they used the primary sources for confirmation. 

The fact check stories of Real or Not are strongly based on facts from trustworthy sources. Real or not is not an organization affiliated with any party, politician, or political candidate? Most of their fact checks are focused on public interested issues. And MIDO, the mother organization of Real or Not is a non-partisan organization. Their advocacy work focuses on digital rights based on international human rights norms and standards and is not influenced by any political agenda. This is based on reviews of the assessor over the past year. 

The link is their non-partisanship policy detail; 

https://www.realornotmm.info/non-partisanship-policy/?lang=en

                                                                                                         

https://www.realornotmm.info/non-partisanship-policy/

Real or Not follows the Non-partisanship policy that is a clear statement on what is the policy and every staffs has to follow the policy and also they have clear code of conduct.

For more detail, can find the following link:

 https://www.realornotmm.info/non-partisanship-policy/?lang=en

Real or Not dedicated to identify the sources in their fact check stories and provide relevant links and online content as strong evidence. Sometimes Real or Not used primary sources. More than that, Real or Not is careful the safety of sources if they need to call to verify the stories and they informed very well to the sources that they will be used in the fact check stories and quoted. If the sources are from sensitive areas, Real or not is careful about the safety of sources and they will be used as anonymous.

The link is about their Methodology

 https://www.realornotmm.info/methodology/?lang=en

Real or Not used to practice putting the sources as much as they get to verify the claims. Whenever they use the sources for their fact checks, they used the primary sources mostly by describing the links from mainstreaming media and other reliable sources. Sometimes they used technology tools to verify the false news and primary sources. These are based on the assessor's randomized assessment over the past years.                                                                                                          

Real or not has been used the reliable sources whatever they can reach online and primary sources. And they used all key elements to verify the claims against more than one source that are more likely non-human sources they used. Here, non- human sources mean the sources are from mainstream media sources and all sources that can be reachable. And they used the technical tools like Google image Reserve search, Tin Eye, etc. These are based on the assessor's randomized samples over the past year.                                                                                                        

The fact check stories of Real or Not are based on fact-based evidenced information. According to the reviews by the assessor on the stories over the past year, the applicant’s fact checks are more likely focused on facts that are from mainstream media and reliable sources. Although they used reliable sources as much as they reached, they haven't used to disclose the relevant interest and relationship. 

Real or Not is a fact-checking project run by Myanmar ICT for Development Organization (MIDO). MIDO is an independent civil society organization.

Real or Not is a fact-checking project run by MIDO that is independent and registered organization. Real or Not has been started since 2015 and it has a separate team for fact-check purposes. Even though Real or Not is project of  MiDO, the mother organization of Real or Not, is registered under Myanmar Law.

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Real or Not is a fact-checking project run by MIDO that is an independent and registered organization in Myanmar. Real or Not has been started since 2015 and it has a separate team for fact-check purposes. 

The link is about their fact check organization and parent organization.  But Real or Not hasn’t mentioned the sources of funding on their page or website.

https://www.realornotmm.info/about-us/?lang=en

https://www.realornotmm.info/methodology/

Real or Not has an independent team for the fact-checking purposes under MIDO. The organization structure will be found on their page very clear and also the verification methodology and kind of editorial control can be seen on their page.

The following links are relevant ones for this criteria. 

https://www.realornotmm.info/methodology/?lang=en

https://www.realornotmm.info/team-profile-english/?lang=en

                                                                                          

https://www.realornotmm.info/team-profile-english/

Real or Not has an independent team by organizing the professional team members for the purpose of fact-checking. All of their team members are relevant professionals for their respective duties. Their profile and structure can be seen very clearly on their page.

The link is their profile:      

https://www.realornotmm.info/team-profile-english/?lang=en                                                                                

All contact information can be found here: https://www.realornotmm.info/about-us/

Users can submit claims and correction requests through dedicated forms on the website.

Real or Not provided the easy ways to the audiences to communicate with the team to request the claims to verify that is true or not. The audience can request to Real or Not that they wanted to know the claim is true or not. The audience can communicate with two ways that is a request form and ChatBot.

The links are for reference:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhkCRjJ8Vy-JXqadorRkHgUhi6FcaM-q1cz1zXB71RPSw_Pg/viewform

 https://web.facebook.com/realornot.mm/

https://www.realornotmm.info/methodology/

Real or Not publishes the statement of the methodology that they have been used for every single fact check stories. It was published on the websites very clearly and it mentions all steps of their fact checks process. The following steps that they used for fact checks:

1.How does Real or Not select the stories

2.Sources that they used to verify

3.How does Real or Not conduct a fact check?

4.How is their response if they make mistake

The link is for reference:

  https://www.realornotmm.info/methodology/?lang=en

Real or Not has the criteria why they select the claims to fact check. They have three criteria when they select the claims. And they mentioned the criteria on their methodology page on Real or Not website. As the randomized sample of the assessor, they followed their criteria to debunk the claims. They select the claims that more likely focused on the public interest for the Country and important issues that will be high potential risk to society. For choosing claims to debunk, Fact checking team leader and program manager make the decision. 

Real or Not used the relevant evidence when they debunk the claims, all of the evidence are supportive to undermine the claims. And they used the relevant evidence as much as they can find with different approaches such as using mainstream media sources, primary sources, and technology tools. As per the randomized sample of assessors, they used different kinds of strong evidence for their fact checks. 

Real or Not used the same standards of evidence when they debunk the claims. They collected the strong evidences with different approaches, these are regardless of who made the claims according to the randomized sample of assessor. All of their samples based on assessor-randomized selection are used same standard of evidences. 

Real or Not follows the methodology for their fact check and they supported the strong evidence for all of their stories. According to the randomized sample of assessor, mostly Real or Not used different supportive documents and sources when they debunk the claims. Most of their evidence are reliable mainstream media, official page and accounts of Government agencies and officials and other dependable sources. And they used primary sources if they can. Based on the randomized assessment, they used not to contact who made the claims if it is online. 

We encourage users to submit claims via our Messenger Chatbot and the website by sharing a weekly reminder on Facebook on Mondays, and answering comments on our social media platforms about claims-related inquiries. See examples of our Facebook posts here from 2020 March, 2019 November, and 2018 September.

Every individual who sends us a claim gets a response. We either send the fact-checking article from our website, or if the story is not misinformation, we send proof that it’s true - a link to a trusted online source. We don’t debunk pop culture and celebrity news - we answer to such claims as well, and make it clear that because of our mission we prioritise news on social and political harmony.

Real or Not opens the channels to send the claims that the readers wanted to know this is true or not. The readers can send the claims with two channels that is a request form and a messenger chatbot. One of the criteria of Real or Not to debunk the claim is the numbers of the claims submitted by the readers. But for the final decision whether it will do fact check or not is rely on the team leader and Manager of Fact-checking team. And they announce and remind the public that they can send the claims if they want to know that is true or not. They do well to inform the public about their channels to send the claims. 

The followings are their channels: 

https://www.messenger.com/t/realornot.mm 

https://www.realornotmm.info/submit-claims/

https://www.realornotmm.info/methodology/

Real or Not has a clear policy for corrections and it can be seen on their webpage. They mentioned under methodology guidelines on the webpage that they have correction policies. And also they mentioned that the audience thinks they made an error, the audience can do correction requests with different forms such as Facebook, email, phone, and complaint request form. And they committed that they will respond to every request and if they found that they did mistake, they will do the correction within 24 hours. And also Real or Not has the separate category for Correction page on their webpage. Also, they will do a prompt responses on Real or Not Facebook page. As the point of view of the assessor, Real or Not mentioned very clear that they made a mistake if they found, and then they will announce correction. 

Real or Not has a policy for correction and they mentioned clearly if they made mistake, the audience can request to be correction to them. According to their correction policy, if the receive the correction request, they will response every request. And then they will determine whether they did mistake or not. If they found they did mistake, they will make the correction within 24 hours. According to their policy, every mistake that they will response regardless with other influences. 

Real or Not formalised its corrections policy in 2020 February and applied it in one case since - see the link below. Previously, corrections were made whenever necessary, and content was amended on both the Real or Not website and Facebook page.

https://www.realornotmm.info/corrections/

According to Real or Not, they started correction policy in 2020, February. According to the assessor, they make correction openly and transparently on their correction page and also they link with the revised article. But their correction policy is started only five months later, only one correction we can see on the page. 

As Real or not is not an existing signatory, it has no link between their page and IFCN page. 

Real or not is not the fact-checking unit of media company.