Organization: Polígrafo
Applicant: Fernando Esteves
Assessor: Sergio Lüdtke
Background
Polígrafo is a private organization legally constituted and established in Portugal in 2018. It is directed by Fernando Esteves, award-winning journalist, author of the book Viral - A epidemic of Fake News, co-authored with Gustavo Sampaio, deputy director of Polígrafo.
Polígrafo checks content related to various topics, from politics and economics to sports and culture, and is a signatory to the IFCN Code of principles. The organization also participates in Facebook's third-party checking project and produces a weekly TV show for SIC Notícias.
The organization was honored with 11 national journalism awards, including "Launch of the Year," "Revelation of the Year," and "Best Website of the Year."
Assessment Conclusion
This assessment analyzed documents and links provided by the applicant and evaluated randomly chosen samples of checks. I conclude that Polígrafo truly applies the IFCN code of principles and fulfills all signatory requirements.
As a recommendation, I suggest that the applicant improve two important points. The first is to emphasize the error policy if possible, offering a direct link to the part of the page where this policy is described. The second recommendation is to include in the checks of social media content information about the reach of the posts investigated. This information can help readers better understand the risks of spreading misinformation.
Sergio Lüdtke assesses application as Compliant
A short summary in native publishing language
Esta avaliação analisou documentos e links fornecidos por Polígrafo e avaliou amostras de checagens escolhidas aleatoriamente. E concluiu que a organização aplica fielmente o código de princípios da IFCN e, portanto, cumpre todas as exigências para ser dele signatário.
Como recomendação, este avaliador sugere que o aplicante aprimore dois pontos importantes. O primeiro deles, é dar mais destaque à política de erros, se possível oferecendo um link direto para a parte da página em que essa política está descrita. A segunda recomendação é para que inclua nas checagens de conteúdos de redes sociais também informações sobre alcance das postagens investigadas. Essa informação pode ajudar os leitores a entender melhor os riscos de disseminação da desinformação.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago)
Here is a link to a formal document that proves Polígrafo (owned by Inevitável e Fundamental) is a legally-registered organization:
https://eportugal.gov.pt/empresas/Services/Online/Pedidos.aspx?service=CCP
Access Code: 3402-8488-5852
Also, in our “Who we are" page we have information about our official registration, with the legal number “515112178". Here is the link:
https://poligrafo.sapo.pt/o-nosso-financiamento/artigos/onossofinanciamento
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago)
Polígrafo has proven to be a legally registered media organization with regular activity in Portugal. On the "Estrutura Societária" (Corporate Structure) page on its website, the applicant describes its shareholder composition and gives further details about the organization.
done_all 1.1 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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?
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Polígrafo was founded in November 2018. It is the first and only Portuguese newspaper entirely dedicated to fact-checking. At the moment, either full, part time, as external collaborators or as interns, 15 people work for Polígrafo: eleven journalists, a graphic designer, an illustrator, a social media manager and a producer.
Since it was launched, Polígrafo aims to address issues of public interest, with a special focus on politics, economics, environment and health. Polígrafo also considers that it has a social function to fulfill. In 2020 and until now, due to the covid-19 pandemic, we did not achieve the goals we had set ourselves for our educational project "Polígrafo Educação". We hope that the positive evolution of the pandemic will allow us to give a new impulse to this initiative still during 2021, namely through several on-site workshops in schools and universities
Fort the next year, we aim to:
- Increase our fact-checking activity within the scope of IBIRIEFER, an Iberian hub for studying and fighting disinformation made up of more than 30 universities, technology centers, and fact-checking projects, financed by the European Commission.
- Build a network of local newspapers to disseminate verified content on vaccines, Covid-19 and other topics;
- Invest in misinformation mapping articles using fact-checking techniques;
- Increase Poligrafo's followers on social networks by 15%
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The applicant is an organization dedicated to fact-checking, created in 2018. In 2020, it expanded its fronts against misinformation and created Poligrafo Educação, a project dedicated to media literacy. Polígrafo responded to all items of this criteria.
done_all 1.2 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Are health professionals receiving a monthly award for their performance in the fight against Covid-19?
João Ferreira: "The US is the country with the most Covid-19 deaths in the world". Is it true?
Refugees: Portugal accepted only 17 asylum applications per million population in 2019?
Police inspection in hypermarket in Caldas da Rainha finds more than 30 infectees disrespecting confinement?
Government only ordered 258,000 of the new computers for students on December 31?
Videos prove that Covid-19 vaccines cause severe convulsions?
Man was illegally prevented from walking on Vila do Conde's waterfront?
Is recording online classes without consent illegal?
https://poligrafo.sapo.pt/fact-check/a-gravacao-de-aulas-online-sem-consentimento-e-ilegal
Is the salary of the governor of the Bank of Portugal equivalent to "27 times the minimum wage"?
Cascais City Hall spent about 10 thousand euros in the purchase of popcorn packages?
Portugal spent 200.000 euros on carpets and "institutional gifts" for European Presidency events?
Is the number of NHS doctors in January 2021 higher than in January 2020?
Average speed radar is being tested on the Vasco da Gama bridge, which will be operational by the end of March?
Reversal of "troika" cuts in layoffs was rejected by PS, PSD, CDS-PP, IL and Chega?
Can employers force workers to take vacation during confinement?
Is the green color of the water of the Caia Barrage the result of pollutant discharges?
Eduardo Cabrita guaranteed that all firefighters would have the first dose of the vaccine by April 17. Is it confirmed?
Isaltino Morais inaugurated an obelisk that cost 600.000 euros by direct adjustment?
Kamov Helicopters. Accounts Court "asked the government if it's 40 million to putrefy"?
Does the "More Transparency" portal hide funds that companies "receive from the projects in which they are partners"?
Costa's government "left Portuguese GDP" below 2015 after 16% drop in 2020?
MEL Convention. Speaker was "cheered while defending the virtues of the fascist regime in Portugal"?
Government assured that English fans came "in bubble" but failed to deliver?
US company will build golf resort in Grândola, 500 meters from the ocean?
Chega militant claimed that "Ventura sent Katar Moreira to her land in her right as a patriot"?
Is the remuneration of a junior judge higher than that of a professor at the end of his career?
Is there no indicator that points to "pathological dependence" on the game "Raspadinha" in Portugal?
Have "only" 152 people died from Covid-19 in Portugal since the pandemic began?
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The applicant regularly publishes fact-checking reports in quantity much higher than the average required by the assessment in the last six months.
done_all 1.3 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Polígrafo makes a significant effort to address all topics of public interest, like politics, health, economics ou environment. In early 2021 Portugal had presidential elections and our work was considered outstanding. With our fact-checks, we set the political agenda several times, namely in television debates, where Polígrafo was mentioned by various candidates as a reference to support their arguments.
Our work has a wide reach across the country, since Polígrafo has a partnership with the leading TV channel in Portugal to produce a weekly fact-checking program (during national elections it was a daily show). At this moment, its average audience is 1.3 million people. For two years now It is one of the most viewed information programs on portuguese TV.
Due to the impact it had on portuguese society, Polígrafo, an independent newspaper that receives no support from the state or any political party, was distinguished with 11 national journalism awards, including "Launch of the Year", "Revelation of the Year" and "Best Website of the year".
Link to our TV Show:
https://sicnoticias.pt/programas/poligrafo
The prizes Polígrafo won :
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The applicant sorts its fact-checks by topic. Although the misinformation about politics, society, economy, and health gains more prominence, Poligrafo does not fail to deal with everyday themes or those involving art and culture. This diversity is interesting. By serving broader audiences that are not necessarily interested in politics and economics, the applicant also problematizes misinformation for these audiences, which has a pedagogical effect. Anyway, it is possible to affirm that the vast majority of published fact-checks are related to topics relevant to society, both in preserving its welfare and safety and in forming opinions based on quality information.
done_all 1.4 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Polígrafo is an organization that operates exclusively in the private sector. Polígrafo does not make contracts with state-owned companies or with any political party within our country or elsewhere. As part of our job we engage with politicians when asking them to correct data, when we fact-check their statements or when we need clarification on something.
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The applicant guarantees that it operates in the private sector and that its sources of income are based on editorial partnerships, such as the one it maintains with Facebook and advertising. No evidence was found that there may be any control by the state, politicians, or any party.
done_all 1.5 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Not applicable
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Not applicable.
done_all 1.6 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
About Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Republic:
Marcelo said in a debate that he warned in 2018 about populism that "was growing in Portuguese society"? Did he? We rated it as true.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said: "I never comment on criminal cases that are in progress." We rated it as false.
About the government:
Justice Minister said she couldn't release note of European Prosecutor because it was confidential. Was it? We rated it as false.
Prime Minister António Costa said in Parliament that he warned from the start of the pandemic that it would be a "very tough marathon"? We rated it as true.
About Rui Rio, leader of PSD, the main party of opposition:
Rui Rio said parties "to the right of PSD" usually get 12% to 14% of the vote. Is it true? We rate it as false.
Rui Rio said that the 2018 Internal Security Report "already warned of labor exploitation in Alentejo". We rated as true.
About Francisco Rodrigues dos Santos, leader of CDS (conservative right):
He said that "tax revenue increased every time the corporate income tax rate has decreased". We rated the allegation as true.
https://poligrafo.sapo.pt/fact-check/a-receita-fiscal-aumentou-sempre-que-a-taxa-de-irc-diminuiu
Rodrigues dos Santos said he was was elected leader "when CDS-PP had only 1% in the polls". We rated it as True, but...
About Iniciativa Liberal, the liberal party:
Tiago Mayan, from Iniciativa Liberal, said that the minimum social income " costs less than Vieira's (a well known president of a Portuguese football club) debt at Novo Banco. Is it confirmed? We rated it as true.
Iniciativa Liberal has requested access to health authorities' opinion on the "Festa do Avante!" (organized by the communist party) due to the pandemic, but ignored the opinion to hold its own festival? We rated it as True.
About André Ventura, president of Chega (extreme right):
André Ventura said "refugees and asylum seekers have medicines reimbursed at 100%". We rated it as false.
André Ventura assured that Bloco de Esquerda (extreme-left) voted against reducing politicians' salaries. We rated as true.
About the Comunist Party:
João Ferreira (candidate to presidency) said, during a TV debate: "The US is the country with the most Covid-19 deaths in the world". We rated it as true.
On a TV debate, Ana Gomes, candidate to presidency, accused João Ferreira of "wanting to leave" the euro, witch is a very unpopular idea in Portugal. We rated it as true.
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The applicant shared 14 links to fact-checks published recently. The links vigorously demonstrate the consistency of the standards used in the checks concerning evidence and judgment for equivalent claims. Submitted links follow the methodology used by the applicant. The procedure is described on the "Nosso Método" page (Our method) on the Polígrafo website.
done_all 2.1 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago)
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The applicant asserts on the Our Method page its commitment to non-partisanship. This page describes how it selects claims to verify and how claims are analyzed. Polígrafo guarantees it considers the scope and importance of the claims it chooses to verify and declares that it uses the same standard for all fact-checks without concentrating its checking work on a single side of the political spectrum.
This assessment did not find any evidence that compromises or contradicts the application of the methodology described by the applicant.
done_all 2.2 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
No cases were found in which there was a need to identify the interests of the sources beyond the contextualization made by the checkers. This assessment also did not identify any commercial or other relationships that could influence the conclusions of the checks.
done_all 2.3 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
No evidence of affiliation or support for politicians, parties, or candidacies was found in this assessment. On the contrary, the evaluation reveals an effort for diversity, transparency, and precision in the verification work.
done_all 2.4 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago)
Polígrafo is completely independent of all political parties. In our Editorial Statute (4) we claim that none of Polígrafo's journalists is a member of a political party. Here is the link:
https://poligrafo.sapo.pt/institucional/artigos/estatuto-editorial
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Polígrafo claim on the "Estatuto Editorial" (Editorial Statute) page on its website that it does not follow a political-ideological agenda. The applicant also declares that the journalists on its team are not members of any political party. Team members are listed on the "Quem Somos" (About Us) page.
done_all 2.5 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Polígrafo identifies the sources that support the conclusions of its fact-checks and provides links so that readers can confirm this evidence themselves. We did not find any cases that the identification of sources could compromise their security in the fact-checks accessed randomly on the website.
done_all 3.1 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The applicant uses primary sources appropriately and eventually resorts to secondary sources. These secondary sources are typically recognized media outlets that reinforce or confirm evidence such as events, quotes, and facts supporting the checks' completion.
done_all 3.2 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
In randomly accessed checks, it is possible to verify that Polygraph offers sufficient sources to validate the conclusions of its reports. The applicant, as a rule, answers all the questions raised by the analysis of the content and does so with precision and precision, always referring to sources that support these conclusions.
done_all 3.3 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The fact-checks accessed show the applicant's concern in contextualizing facts and claims to clarify the interests of the sources used and the characters who are the target of the checks.
done_all 3.4 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago)
Polígrafo is an independent organization dedicated only to fact-checking. Our principles are expressed here:
https://poligrafo.sapo.pt/institucional/artigos/estatuto-editorial
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Polígrafo claims it is an independent organization dedicated only to fact-checking. The applicant also expresses its principles on the website's "Estatuto Editorial" page.
done_all 4.1 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago)
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Polígrafo maintains the "Estrutura Societária"(Corporate Structure) page on its website and informs the nature of the organization and its shareholding composition. This same page reveals two financing sources in the company's total revenue in 2020: editorial partnerships (94.09%) and advertising (5.91%). The applicant also indicates where it invested part of this income.
done_all 4.2 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago)
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The "Quem Somos" (About Us) page on the applicant's website lists the names and roles of the entire team. On the same page is the editorial management group formed by Fernando Esteves (director), Gustavo Sampaio (deputy director), and Cláudia Arsénio (editor). The emails of all team members are also listed there.
done_all 4.3 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
There are two ways to access the journalist's biography.
1: Click on its name on the technical sheet
https://poligrafo.sapo.pt/institucional/artigos/ficha-tecnica
2: Click on the signatures of the fact-checks
https://poligrafo.sapo.pt/autor/fernando-esteves
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Polígrafos's editorial staff is listed on the "Quem Somos" (About Us) page on the applicant's website. There is a link in the name of each member of the team that leads to another page. This page contains each professional's bio and the list of all the articles they have published.
done_all 4.4 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Polígrafo promotes an enormous interaction with its readers. On the website there is a page specifically created to encourage the reader to communicate with Polígrafo's journalist or to ask for the realization of fact-checks. This appeal is also made on the homepage. Readers can request fact-checks by telephone, email, WhatsApp or Telegram. They can also request fact-checks trough our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin.
We also have a weekly newsletter (called "Pinóquio") through which readers can schedule "virtual coffees" with Poligrafo's director, Fernando Esteves. They consist of a conversation via Zoom that can take from 10 to 15 minutes.
https://poligrafo.sapo.pt/institucional/artigos/peca-nos-um-fact-check
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
There are many contact points for readers to send suggestions for fact-checking on the Polígrafo website. All these points are listed on the "Peça-nos um fact-check" (Ask us for a fact-check) page, accessible via the drop-down menu. The applicant discloses the WhatsApp and Telegram numbers, a general email from the newsroom, and offers a link to the page where all members of the editorial team and their respective emails are listed.
Polígrafo also encourages audience participation through social media channels and creates opportunities for meetings, via zoom, with the editor.
done_all 4.5 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago)
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Polígrafo published its checking methodology on the "Nosso Método" (Our Method) page. The applicant describes its scope of checks and its methods to select and investigate the content and publish its fact-checks. This page also includes Polígrafo's commitments to the IFCN code of principles.
done_all 5.1 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The applicant selects the claims to be verified based on the relevance or in the scope of Facebook's fact-checking partnership. Polígrafo declares that all correction requests are analyzed, not indicating whether it considers the contents' reach in the decision to open a fact-check.
done_all 5.2 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The fact-checkings analyzed in this assessment are consistent and follow the methodology adopted by the applicant. The conclusions of these checks are under the evidence, facts, and data gathered by the investigations.
done_all 5.3 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
There is no evidence in the analyzed fact-checking reports of different standards to benefit or harm the author of a claim. What the assessment categorically demonstrates is that Polígrafo uses the same standards to fact-check for equivalent claims.
done_all 5.4 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The "Our Method" page explains the applicant's procedures when deciding to open an investigation step by step. The first step is to consult the source of information, then consult documentary sources that can solidify the verification process and, subsequently, listen to the statement's authors, giving them the right to explain it.
The sample of fact-checks analyzed did not reveal any cases where the allegations' authors provided evidence to support their statements. Therefore, it is not possible to say that the fact-checker contacted them or that the checkers chose not to contact them for security reasons, for example. Still, the conclusions of these mentioned fact-checks are irrefutable.
In cases of verification of online allegations, such as those made for Facebook's third-party verification project, the applicant does not identify the authors nor inform whether or not they tried to establish any contact.
done_all 5.5 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago)
Polígrafo has a page specifically dedicated to encouraging readers to request fact-checks by our team. We call it "ask us for a fact-check" and it can be found through this link:
https://poligrafo.sapo.pt/institucional/artigos/peca-nos-um-fact-check
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The "Peça-nos um fact-checking"(Ask us for a fact-check) page encourages readers to submit suggestions and requests for verification and offers various channels for submission on different platforms. The applicant also declares the readers may expect their suggestion to be considered but that there will be cases in which this will not be possible.
Polígrafo informs on this page that it is especially receptive to issues related to the assessment of the speech of political officeholders. And that the statements made by commentators and influencers on any public platform are also of special interest. Finally, the applicant declares that he dedicates a significant effort to verifying viral rumors circulated essentially through social networks on topics such as the environment, health, economy, or technology.
done_all 5.6 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago)
Our corrections policy is here. We encourage readers to to submit correction requests and provide a direct link to the IFNC website, where a complaints form is provided to those who believe that Polígrafo violated the organization's code of principles.
https://poligrafo.sapo.pt/institucional/artigos/o-nosso-metodo
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The applicant has a correction policy published on the "Nosso Método"(Our Method) page. On this page, readers are guided on how to submit correction requests, the treatment they will receive, and informed about the channels through which they can forward the submissions.
done_all 6.1 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
Criteria 6.2
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the corrections policy to verify it meets critera. No additional information needed.
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The correction policy is clear and complies with the requirements for the assessment.
done_all 6.2 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Whenever Polígrafo errors - despite our meticulous methodology, we do not intend to be infallible - it will correct the error in a very visible way, committing itself to republishing the content already corrected in the shortest possible time and with equal emphasis on what was given to the original text - which means, for example, that if the article in question was a headline on the Homepage, the correction will also be placed in a headline, with the indication that it is an update of a text that contained an error.
In the correction, it must be very clearly identified which content was found to be incorrect, as well as the time at which it was corrected. If, following the correction, a change in the evaluation is justified, it will be made.
All correction requests are analyzed, regardless of whether a small or a big error is involved. Polígrafo is available to readers without any reservation, either to rectify information or to enrich existing content.
Contacts can be made through the various platforms where the project is present (website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) or directly, via an email addressed to the general address (contactos@poligrafo.pt), to the authors of the fact-check or its director, Fernando Esteves, whose contacts are also available.
Here are two examples of corrections we made during the last year:
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The applicant has provided two links as examples of applying its corrections policy. In both, the correction is indicated in the title of the article. The reports also contain an editorial note in which Polígrafo explains the correction, clarifying when the article was updated to incorporate the new version, what was wrong, and the correct information added.
The examples provided confirm the content of the applicant's corrections policy.
done_all 6.3 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago)
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The applicant is already a signatory and offers a link on the "Nosso Método"(Our Method) page so that readers can report directly to the IFCN if they understand that the code of principles is not being followed.
done_all 6.4 marked as Compliant by Sergio Lüdtke.
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.
Polígrafo
30-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Not applicable
Sergio Lüdtke Assessor
21-Aug-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Not applicable