Organization: MyGoPen
Applicant: Yeh Tzu Yang
Assessor: Masato Kajimoto
Edits made by the organization after this assessment
IFCN Staff wrote:
Regarding to the requests by the assessor, we have done several revisions of additional detailed biographies of our team members, and we try to describe more about our individual responsibilities and detailed biographies. Basically, we emphasized everyone’s specific jobs and experienced works regarding to fact checking in MGP team. Please kindly review and let us know if any additional information we can supplement.
The followings are the quick links for accessing to everyone’s file-
n Editor-in-Chief(葉子揚)
https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_77.html
n Fact-Check-Edit(洪祥玲)
https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_43.html
n Fact-Check-Edit(鄭岳嘉)
https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_3.html
n Fact-Check-Edit(宋文發)
https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_17.html
n Research & Technical Expert(Robbin Lee)
https://www.mygopen.com/p/robin-lee.html
n Research & Technical Expert(陳秉群)
Conclusion and recommendations
Masato Kajimoto wrote:
MyGoPen has been in the area of fact-checking and social media verification since 2015. It is a known name in this field in Taiwan. Their work complies with all of the IFCN criteria to become a signatory, as I indicated in the report. In my observation, their established presence on LINE is benefitting the users in Taiwan; their collaborative work with Taiwan FactCheck Center, another IFCN signatory, is also worth noting here because it is a testament to their rigorous fact-checking process.
One criterion I could not properly evaluate is funding. The organization became a company limited in Nov. last year. Although they have gotten some funding in the forms of donations since then, the amount so far seems to be very little. It is not clear from the record they posted on the website if the money came from a small group of supporters, or a number of ordinary users, or someone else. At this point, it is not an issue because the donation doesn't look sufficient to cover and/or influence the operation much at all, but that might change in the future as they move forward. Until then, this section does not really apply.
With that in mind, I would recommend MyGoPen be accepted without any condition.
But there is always room for improvement, too. Perhaps, one area they can do more on their website is to have more detailed biographies of key people involved in the operation. I don't think the simple list of names and work/education backgrounds is sufficient enough to tell the audience transparently who they are.
Masato Kajimoto recommended Accept
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.
MyGoPen
26-Dec-2019 (4 years ago)
copy of company registration
https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_58.html
We start doing fact checki on year 2015 as a civil society, and from a Limited company in Jan 2020. MGP is stand alone company does not belong to any other company or group. we also build a line robot for user to check if the misleading info they forward has been checked before or not. and we also have an one to one Line account will able to chat with user directly. currently we received about 1000 msg a day on rebot about 500 on one to one chat.
most of misleading info we got from a Line(a messenger APP, very popular in Taiwan). Currently there are 180000 users are link wiht our Line account. and report all kind of misleading info they received from their friends or family and forward to us for fact check.
mgp-factcheck.jpg (312 KB)
Masato Kajimoto Assessor
23-Feb-2020 (4 years ago)
The document proves that MyGoPen is a registered company limited as of Nov. 2019 in Taiwan.
done_all 1a marked as Fully compliant by Masato Kajimoto.
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.
MyGoPen
26-Dec-2019 (4 years ago)
Our offical website https://www.mygopen.com we host all our debunked artical on our website and only triditional cheinese language is available. Since all our user are chinese reader
Masato Kajimoto Assessor
23-Feb-2020 (4 years ago) Updated: 4 years ago
MyGoPen has been consistently publishing reports that evaluate claims and social media content including chat app messages.
done_all 1b marked as Fully compliant by Masato Kajimoto.
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.
MyGoPen
26-Dec-2019 (4 years ago)
Our debunk process, we will consult external expert in related field(like doctor if it's health realted). we will also use date from government if wee need to. In our debunk artical we also incluld all sources we use to debunk in detail. that includes experts name or link of government source. we also use technique such as reverse image or video search if we have to. all of expert we consoult could not be anonymouse to the reader and all source we use to debunk must also clear describle to user in detail. there for reader could follow the same route to debunk and will get same result.
Example as following:
#01-【別誤解】主動脈剝離手指會這樣？這是馬凡氏症候群的初步判斷
https://www.mygopen.com/2018/12/blog-post_10.html
#02-【假影片】一次生17個寶寶？媽媽超大肚子？修圖杜撰謠言勿信
https://www.mygopen.com/2019/07/Woman-giving-birth-to-17-babies.html
#03-【假LINE】中裕製藥、健保？同婚一定要過的原因？愛滋病謠言
https://www.mygopen.com/2019/06/Health-insurance.html
#04-【易誤解】身上燃火如何撲滅？網傳自救影片對嗎？學著正確處理
https://www.mygopen.com/2019/12/on-fire.html
#05-【假影片】川普假髮被風吹走？後製特效！與實際演說影片不符
https://www.mygopen.com/2019/11/president-trump-air-force.html
#06-【假圖片】李艷秋描述蔡英文繼續當總統圖片？與原始貼文不同
https://www.mygopen.com/2019/11/facebook-post-lee.html
#07-【影片】樹木穿過汽車生長？不是車禍！法國木偶劇團裝置藝術
https://www.mygopen.com/2019/11/royal-de-luxe-car-tree.html
#08-【假訊息】校園可擁有5克毒品攜毒免罰？當心謠言改編各種版本
https://www.mygopen.com/2019/12/Drugs-5g-on-campus.html
#09-【假訊息】越南考機車駕照影片？謠言！金卡納賽車運動過程
https://www.mygopen.com/2019/11/Gymkhana-vespa-race.html
#10-【假影片】高以翔休克案例？拍打內肘預防心肌梗塞？延誤救人
https://www.mygopen.com/2019/12/Acute-Coronary-Syndrome.html
Masato Kajimoto Assessor
23-Feb-2020 (4 years ago) Updated: 4 years ago
This website has been in operation since 2015; naturally, it has covered wide-ranging topics from internet rumors to politics to health/food issues. It does not appear to be selective or one-sided in any way.
done_all 2a marked as Fully compliant by Masato Kajimoto.
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.
MyGoPen
26-Dec-2019 (4 years ago)
Complete detail of code of standard in following link
https://www.mygopen.com/p/blog-page_84.html
In general, all team members must be indepandent in anyways. And should not have relationship with any political party. And not allow to join any events that has political background or will be ask to leave team
for suspicious info. we will debunk base on our debunk process and accuracy is always firt pirority. unclear source of infomation can not be use during debunk process. If there are mistake in debunk artical. we will revise with corrected infomation and make official announcement in all channel
Masato Kajimoto Assessor
23-Feb-2020 (4 years ago) Updated: 4 years ago
Its non-partisan policies are clearly stated and publicly available on its website.
done_all 2b marked as Fully compliant by Masato Kajimoto.
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.
MyGoPen
26-Dec-2019 (4 years ago)
All debunk process and source will also describle in debunked artical for general public to review or follow our debunk process if they want to.
Masato Kajimoto Assessor
23-Feb-2020 (4 years ago) Updated: 4 years ago
Sources and evidence are clearly stated with links, and when necessary, explanations.
done_all 3a marked as Fully compliant by Masato Kajimoto.
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.
MyGoPen
26-Dec-2019 (4 years ago)
All funding detial will be post on website and open to public in monthly base
Masato Kajimoto Assessor
23-Feb-2020 (4 years ago) Updated: 4 years ago
As far as I can tell from the website, the amount of funding is very limited at the moment. It is not clear who is donating or sponsoring the organization from the available record, but it is understandable given the amount (if they are mostly a sum of small user donations, that is). It is perhaps too early to properly evaluate MyGoPen's finance because it became a limited company just a couple of months ago.
done_all 4a marked as Fully compliant by Masato Kajimoto.
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.
MyGoPen
26-Dec-2019 (4 years ago)
Members of MGP team are identifed on our site.
Masato Kajimoto Assessor
23-Feb-2020 (4 years ago) Updated: 4 years ago
Key actors are clearly listed. Their names are presented along with some very basic information about their education and/or work history (just a simple list). There is no real biography of each person included in this section.
done 4b marked as Partially compliant by Masato Kajimoto.
Criterion 4c
Contact
Evidence required: Please link to the section where readers can get in touch with the organization.
MyGoPen
26-Dec-2019 (4 years ago)
General public could contact us in differnt way(line account, FB fans page, email etc).
Masato Kajimoto Assessor
23-Feb-2020 (4 years ago) Updated: 4 years ago
It is easy for anybody to find and contact them through messaging appa or Facebook or email.
done_all 4c marked as Fully compliant by Masato Kajimoto.
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.
MyGoPen
26-Dec-2019 (4 years ago)
We describle our debunk process in detail on following page.
Masato Kajimoto Assessor
23-Feb-2020 (4 years ago) Updated: 4 years ago
Their methodologies are clear and easy to understand for the audience.
done_all 5a marked as Fully compliant by Masato Kajimoto.
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.
MyGoPen
26-Dec-2019 (4 years ago)
We do not have submit for fact check button on our site. As users will send us infomation that they think its fake and need to check to us through FB, Line etc.
Masato Kajimoto Assessor
23-Feb-2020 (4 years ago) Updated: 4 years ago
Considering that its main operational platform is LINE, this is not an issue for MyGoPen. Yes, readers can easily send content (if not through LINE, their Facebook page would serve this function as well).
done_all 5b marked as Fully compliant by Masato Kajimoto.
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.
MyGoPen
26-Dec-2019 (4 years ago)
We have correction policy detail in following page
Masato Kajimoto Assessor
23-Feb-2020 (4 years ago) Updated: 4 years ago
Their explanation is clear and transparent.
done_all 6a marked as Fully compliant by Masato Kajimoto.
Criterion 6b
Examples of corrections
Evidence required: Please provide two examples of a correction made, or correction requests handled, in the past year.
MyGoPen
26-Dec-2019 (4 years ago)
Example of correction
Masato Kajimoto Assessor
23-Feb-2020 (4 years ago) Updated: 4 years ago
There aren't as many corrections as one would expect on their website but that is perhaps because their stories are often solid. When corrections are provided, they are labeled clearly and it is easy for the audience to know what information has been updated.