MyGoPen has been performing fact checking services for the public since 2015. In Nov. 2019, a limited company called MGP Fact Check Ltd. was registered in Taiwan. Below is the link with the official company registration certificate provided.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_58.html

1. When and why was your fact-checking operation started?

MyGoPen has been performing fact checking services for the public since 2015.

2. How many people work or volunteer in the organization and what are their roles?

Total 7 full-time employees.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_23.html

3. What different activities does your organization carry out?

MyGoPen main focus is online fact checking for people in Taiwan. We also support voluntary organizations such as Fake News Cleaner for their fact checking activity. In addition we also give lectures about media literacy in community schools, universities.

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

Regarding to MyGoPen's target goal for the future, besides fact checking, MyGoPen plans to continuously grow the public education of media literacy via community or social activities, and we plan to do videos to teach the general public about media literacy in Taiwanese local language. 

MyGoPen has debunked and published 305 fact check articles between Feb 2022 and July 2022. Please visit MyGoPen website for more details.

https://www.mygopen.com/

MyGoPen is purely an organization for fact check. We have two major income sources, one is small donations from the public and another one is licensing fact check articles to 3rd party or online media and platforms. No funding or support from government, foreign, or any political parties.

MyGoPen’s announcement about the independence of fact checking work is available here.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_26.html

1. 

https://www.mygopen.com/2021/12/tainan.html

A footage claimed that the super scary Democratic Progress Party (DPP, current ruling party) did everything for the Referendum by treating people with outdoor catering. This footage went viral during the December 2021 Referendum time which suggested DPP’s intention in affecting people’s voting decision for the Referendum. MyGoPen searched thru Facebook and Youtube and found out this footage was posted by the Speaker of the Tainan City Council. MyGoPen reached out to the Speaker Mr. Kuo and the Luermen Matzu Temple where the outdoor catering was held. The fact shows that it is an annual gathering party hosted by the Speaker at Matsu Temple. It has nothing to do with the DPP and the Referendum.

2. 

https://www.mygopen.com/2021/12/morris.html

An image showed that TSMC former Chairman Morris Chang asked the pathetic Kuomintang (KMT, the largest opposition party) to stop all actions against the Referendum to save Taiwan. MyGoPen first searched with keywords and found out the image was from the APEC meeting result press briefing on 13th of November 2021 at the Taiwan President Office. By further checking into several news media reports, Morris Chang didn’t make any comment about the Referendum in the briefing. The image was intentionally made with misleading and fake comments against KMT by using Morris Chang’s photo for the Referendum.

3. 

https://www.mygopen.com/2021/12/cctv4.html

An image showed China Central Television (CCTV) went for four Agrees for the Taiwan’s Referendum. MyGoPen searched thru internet and found out the image was from a CCTV Taiwan Strait TV program. In that TV program, the guests shared and commented on the future and strategy of Kuomintang (KMT, the largest opposition party) for Taiwan and the Referendum. CCTV didn’t make any position statement for Taiwan’s Referendum. This image was created intentionally by suggesting the connection between China and the KMT in Taiwan.

4. 

https://www.mygopen.com/2022/01/vaccine-side-effects.html

An internet article said Japan added heart inflammation warning on COVID vaccine label and claimed a higher chance of death after vaccination. MyGoPen located the origin of this article which is from the Japanese healthcare website LifeSiteNews. MyGoPen debunked this rumor by collaboration with an immune and virology expert Jamie Lin in Germany and the Japanese fact check organization FIJ. There is no evidence that can suggest the death is caused by COVID vaccination. And the Japanese government started to add an adverse effect warning on mRNA vaccines in December 2021.

5. 

https://www.mygopen.com/2022/03/ukraine-hospital.html

A news article from a Russian media Sputnik claimed the attack on a Ukraine Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital was all self-directed, and the pregnant woman is an actress. MyGoPen searched over international press media such as Washington Post, Associated Press, NPR and concluded three different women's photos were used in this article. This is misleading information. And the actress who was framed as pretending pregnancy is really a pregnant woman. Russian media Sputnik intentionally composed news articles with fake information to cover up Russia's military actions against Ukrainian hospitals.

6. 

https://www.mygopen.com/2022/03/Russia-policy.html

An article claimed Russian sanction against Taiwan by shutting down Taiwan Representative Office in Moscow, applying financial punishment, and restricting Taiwan’s airplane from flying over Russian territory. MyGoPen checked with Taipei Moscow Economic and Cultural Coordination Commission and confirmed no such policy or sanction from Russia. Ever since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, no Taiwanse flight flies over Russian territory for safety reasons. The claim was based on no fact.

7. 

https://www.mygopen.com/2022/07/m49a2-60mm.html

An image showed some of the Ukrainian troop’s mortar projectile was possibly from Taiwan due to the printed traditional Chinese words. MyGoPen searched thru this news report origin мілітарний and confirmed the source of those mortar projectiles is from Japan by checking the Ukraine Weapons Tracker report on Twitter. A further check shows the mortar projectile was possibly made by a Japanese company during Korean War time. Taiwan's National Defense Ministry also made public notice that the Ukraine mortar projectile with traditional Chinese is not from Taiwan.

8. 

https://www.mygopen.com/2022/08/huxijin.html

A twitter message claimed that Hu Xijing cannot be harder and tougher for the US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. MyGoPen searched Twitter and found the account who created this message is not the real China Global Times commentator Hu Xijin. It is by a twitter account who intentionally set its account name similar to the famous China Global Times commentator Hu Xijin.

9. 

https://www.mygopen.com/2022/08/1989-pelosi.html

An article claimed US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was taken into custody by China police during her visit in Tiananmen Square in 1989. After searching through wechat and US press BBC CNN, the accurate time of Pelosi’s visit in Tiananmen Square is 1991. Pelosi together with two fellow senators and seven journalists and cameramen were only interrogated by China police. They were not arrested or taken into custody. MyGoPen also fact-checked with Mike Chinoy who is one of the journalists and confirmed the same.

10. 

https://www.mygopen.com/2022/08/cctv-0808.html

A picture claimed that the Chinese government decided to evacuate the Chinese citizens from Taiwan before August 8. By using image matching the only thing that can be found is the China CCTV news channel video. Further check into China media such as Global Times, Xinhua Net, China People Daily found no message or news report about the evacuation of Chinese citizens from Taiwan. The picture was intentionally created to arouse people’s fear about the China military exercise after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.

Summary

Over the past 12 months, covid vaccine, politics, Russia Ukraine war, foreigner intention against Taiwan are four key ingredients that are composed with modern graphic editing capability into a variety of dis/mis information on the internet and popular social messaging apps. They are easy to read, easy to watch, and the worst of all, easy to spread. MyGoPen keeps sharpening our skill sets and enriching our connections with various subject experts and fact checking organizations to ensure our work and published articles fully meet the IFCN guideline and quality standards.

Political competition is severe here in Taiwan. The fake information goes to the ruling party, as well as the opposition party. The Referendum in December 2021 is a time where the amount and diversity of rumors reached its maximum. Even our debunking articles have clearly presented the evidence and fact, some people still choose to believe in what they want to believe by ignoring the evidence and fact. MyGoPen becomes the rumor center among those people. The bright side is, most of the people still choose to be with MyGoPen with hearty support. This encourages MyGoPen.

Challenges are still ahead of us. MyGoPen never forgets where we started. MyGoPen will always insist on faith, our original intention, and will continue to spread the value of fact checking for people in Taiwan.

MyGoPen is a natural fact check organization we select dis/mis information base on following.

(i) number of claims (ii) harmful human life (iii) health and welfare,

We also published the following link on our website to let the public understand how dis/mis information has been selected for fact check.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_25.html

MyGoPen has published a statement of code of conduct to all employees or volunteers to strictly follow the non-partisanship, independent, and fact and truth only policy. Below is the link.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_84.html

The applicant explains its policies to preserve its non-partisan way of fact-checking. These principles are shown in the Code of Conduct at the following link: https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_84.html

In view of what I have observed, the applicant identifies the source of significant evidence used in its fact checks. 

MyGoPen operates as an independent organization. We are not part of the government or sub-company of other organizations. Below is the link to the company registration details.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_58.html

MyGoPen funding is mainly from (I) small donations from the public, and (II) license fee from 3rd party for fact check article licensing. Below is the link for the 2021 donation detail report. At the page end you can click on 2021 and 2022 donation report as well. All donations are small amount of money. There is no donation over 5% of annual income.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/2020_31.html

https://www.mygopen.com/p/2022.html

MyGoPen operates in two departments: (I) fact checking dept. (II) IT dept. Below is the link to our org chart and department’s roles and responsibility.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_58.html

The applicant has a page ("Organizational Structure") on its website that explains its organization structure. The link is as follows: https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_58.html

The applicant also explains how and by whom editorial control is exercised.

Below is the link to the list of MyGoPen’s employees who perform day to day fact checking work. Click on each employee’s name and you will be led to the employee’s biography page.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_23.html

MyGoPen performs a fact checking service for the public. We welcome any questions or suggestions from users. Below is the link about Contact Us.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page.html

The applicant provides the contact page to the users including multiple ways of communication such as phone calls, e-mail, and social media. It also provides the link for sending the complaint to the IFCN. 

MyGoPen has been debunking and combating mis/dis information on the internet. The main source of fact check claims is LINE which is the most popular social messaging app in Taiwan. Users can just send claims in text, picture, or video format to MyGoPen through our official LINE account. MyGoPen has developed AI chatbot automatic fact checking system that can search our database and check if that claim has been debunked. Then the chatbot will return to the user with true and correct information. If the chatbot fails to match, the human 1-1 checking will then be followed.

When the same/similar mis/dis information has been received from different users, we understand that the mis/dis information starts to spread widely. The fact checking process will be executed. An article will then be published.

The number of claims can grow on any type of mis/dis information or on anyone anyplace. MyGoPen select claims simply based on (I) number of claims (II) importance to human life, health and welfare, and property.

Below are the links about how MyGoPen handle the claims.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_60.html

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_25.html

MyGoPen debunk based on user claim from our Line account, 1 to 1, and social media. Based on user claims MyGoPen will select claim to debunk with priority based on following principle:

1. Number of users who send in the same claim.

2. Direct impact such as threatening human life/huge public panic/public health issue.

3. Claim type such as from an influential celebrity or government official which gets a lot of public attention.

MyGoPen have daily internal meeting to select claims that meet the above conditions. Once claims for fact-check are selected, MyGoPen use following methods to fact-check claims:

1. Use search tools such as Google, Yandex, InVid for reverse search to check if image or video had appeared on internet earlier than the claim.

2. Search on internet to check if the claim has appeared before in different time.

3. Contact government official or local authorities if necessary.

4. Trace original source of claim. Investigate original document for data difference or misleading info in the claim.

5. Try to connect to original claim publisher.

6. Interview with experts and professionals.

Based on above methods, MyGoPen will create debunk article based on hard evidence that were found. And debunk article will be reviewed by Chief Editor along with at least 2 colleagues to ensure accuracy. Completed fact check article will be published on MyGoPen website as well as popular social media platforms such as Line, FB, IG, Dcard etc. to reach as many audiences as possible.

For more details on how to fact check and the methodology, please refer to our official website with following link:

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_25.html

On this page "Fact-checking Principle", the applicant publishes the methodology it uses to select, research, write and publish its fact checks. However, the English report provided by the applicant is not that exact or fully explains its execution of fact-checking on the website. For example, the sentence "If the chatbot fails to match, the human 1-1 checking will then be followed" is difficult for the reader to understand. Therefore, I suggest the applicant check the grammar and meaning of their English report carefully before it is sent.  

On this page "Fact-checking Principle", the applicant publishes the methodology it uses to select, research, write and publish its fact checks. However, the English report provided by the applicant is not that exact or fully explains its execution of fact-checking on the website. For example, the sentence "If the chatbot fails to match, the human 1-1 checking will then be followed" is difficult for the reader to understand. Therefore, I suggest the applicant check the grammar and meaning of their English report carefully before it is sent.  

MyGoPen encourages users to send claims via LINE, as LINE has been the most popular social messaging tool in Taiwan. Below are the links that we ask and encourage users to send claims as well as the message to users what can be expected.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_60.html

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_25.html

MyGoPen webpage contains a link for users to contact MyGoPen for corrections or complaints. Below is the link.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_24.html

There are 3 correction cases in 2021 and 2 correction cases in 2022. Below is the link to the correction summary page.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_42.html

MyGoPen has published a Contact Us link for users to contact MyGoPen. We also provide a message here to inform users to submit requests directly to IFCN when any violation of IFCN Code is found on any MyGoPen article. Below is the Contact Us link.

https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page.html

It is confirmed that MyGoPen is an independent company. We are no part of any media company, government, or profit organization.