Taiwan FactCheck Center (TFC) is jointly funded by Taiwan Media Watch and the Association for Quality Journalism. It is organized for non-profit purposes. The objectives of the Center are to conduct fact checks on information relevant to public affairs as well as to improve the information ecology and news quality of Taiwan.

The Center’s founding purpose and Charter are clearly posted on the Center’s official website at: https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/about/oganization Please refer to the attached English translation of the Charter of the Taiwan FactCheck Center and the registration certificates of the two parent organizations.

Yes, the applicant has shown proof that it is a leagally registered organization.

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

In April 2018, with the endowment of NTD. 500,000 ($17,000) from Association for Quality Journalism and Taiwan Media Watch, respectively, Taiwan FactCheck Center (TFC) was jointly founded by these two organizations to improve the information ecology and news quality in Taiwan.

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

FC has seven full-time staff, including one chief editor, five fact-checkers and one visual designer.

3. What different activities does your organization carry out?

Besides our main mission of publishing fact checks, TFC also carries out activities such as:

Fact-checking workshops aimed at journalists, academics of journalism, teachers, and the public.

Giving speeches, lectures to teach fact-checking methodology and skills and to promote media literacy.

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

It has been two years since TFC began the mission of fact-checking in 2018. In the coming year, at the age of three, TFC has set goals of fact-checking operation as below:

Increasing fact-checking power: by expanding TFC's team, the number fact-checks is expected to grow from 35-40 per month to 50 per month.

Building claims/fact-checks database as part of the project of ChatBot service.

Hosting advanced fact-checking workshop aiming at journalists, academics of journalism, fact-checker for further training

Hosting fact-checking workshops aiming at school teachers and the public for basic fact-checking skills and especially teaching concepts and ideas.

Hosting Forum on Fact-Checking in Asia 2021.

The applicant has a proven record of producing fact-checking stories in compliance with the Code for the last three years and I see no change this year.

From January 2020 to August 2020, TFC had published 373 fact-checks and 111 articles. Overall, TFC released at least five fact-checks per week. During the pandemic, TFC published four fact-checks per day at the peak.

The applicant meets this criterion.

Most, if not all, stories I've gone through tackle issues and claims that are significant.

TFC has not had any commercial, financial or institutional relationship to the state, politicians or political parties in the countries TFC covers, nor received funding from local or foreign state or political sources over the previous financial year.

We stipulate in TFC's donations acceptance policy that “to maintain independence of operations, Taiwan FactCheck Center does not accept donations from governments, political parties, and politicians." The policy can be found through the link: https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/node/73.

 The applicant has no relationship with any polticial entity.

TFC has not received funding from local or foreign state or political sources over the previous financial year.

Here is the 10 fact checks that we recommand to read:

https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/1959

https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/1954

https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/1892

https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/1403

https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/1248

https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/2970

https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/3596

https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/4143

https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/2530

https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/4458

Looking into TFC's political fact-checks, we have covered issues across the political spectrum: we have fact-checked both the party in power (DPP) and the opposition party (KMT). The topics of TFC fact checks were related to Hong Kong protests against extradition bills; TFC also debunked several fake Chinese official documents. Aslo, TFC debunked the misinformation, saying that China took Taiwanese academic achievement as its credit(https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/2970).

Besides politics, health-related topics have played a significant role in our fact-checks. The previous year, we also handled issues about astronomy, textbooks, discrinimation against immigrant workers and psychiatric patients, homosexual and gender, law and policy.

TFC has adheres our methodology and IFCN code in every single fact-check:

We ensure the reports include interviews with at least two resources, often more than two resources.

When legislation, documents, researches are involved in the claims, TFC's fact-checker must trace the origin of the related documents and study them carefully. We seek out experts to explain when necessary.

In the fact-check of the late Chief of the General Staff, Shen Yi-Ming's (沈一鳴) anecdote, we interviewed the high ranking officers in charge during the third Taiwan strait crisis, diplomatic personnels involved, historians and military experts to collect evidence and let them dictate the conclusion. (https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/1954)

In the claim that mosquitoes can transmit COVID-19, TFC's fact-check interviewed three experts, including a laurel professor who has studied coronavirus for more than 50 years. (https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/3596 )

In the case of a fake photo of Empress Dowager Cixi, TFC talked to an expert of old photo restoration and a specialist in photography history. (https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/4143)

Regrading the conspiracy theory video about speaker of Kaohsiung council, Hsu Kun-yuan's suicide, we had professional opinions from a forensic medical expert and professor to debunk the claim. (https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/4001 )

In many fact-checks, abstruse science papers are involved. We seeked support from Science Media Centre (SMC) to have experts in related fields to explain the original research. (https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/3022, https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/2453 )

As for the claim regarding the overloading Taichung Crematorium, we didn't cite the official data blindly, we geolocated and verified the claimed photo to solve the case. (https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/2656)

Their stories clearly demonstrate its editorial stance of non-partisanship. They apply the same standards consistently.

Please find our fact-checking guidelines through the link: https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/node/71

The guidelines state how we decide the claims to check:

Is the claim related to the welfare or well-being of the general public? Does the claim sound misleading or wrong?

Is the claim verifiable? TFC can’t check opinions or predictions.

Is the claim meaningful or significant to society?

How big is the impact which the claim has on our society?

How viral does the claim spread?

The claim may be news-worthy, but does TFC have the capability and ability to fact-check it?

Is it a claim TFC has covered before? If yes, TFC may consider to relocate the time and resources to other new topics to ensure we cover a broader field.

TFC strives to give each position equal attention even though TFC does not attempt to set an absolute balance in terms of numbers of items fact checked among the varied positions. To avoid a significant imbalance, besides reviewing subjects during the initial selection process, TFC continuously monitors the statistics of the fact checked cases involving political affairs among various positions in the weekly meeting.

The selection criteria are clear.

The sources have been quoted and characterized in a transparent manner -- with corroboration from other sources/documents when needed.  

Their stories do not show any political support or take any political positions.

You can find the statement regarding the non-partisanship policy for TFC's staff through the link: https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/about/oganization

In Item 7 of organization statute, We state that TFC is an non-profit organization that is independent of political parties and authority. All members of the Advisory Council and the staff of TFC must not hold public office full-time or part-time, nor participate in political activities or events.

TFC clearly states that its founding belief is to follow the principles of professionalism, transparency and fairness in the process of fact-checking public affairs information.

It is clear to the audience.

The applicant does this quite well. 

Efforts are made to find primary sources and the best evidence available in all stories.

Multiple sources are often consulted in their stories and it is clear to the audience why they are included in the stories.

If any, potential influences of the interests of the sources can be surmised by the audience as all sources are clearly presented.

TFC is an independent organization funded by Taiwan Media Watch and the Association for Quality Journalism. Although TFC is nominally affiliated to the Association for Quality Journalism to receive resources and assistance in administrative affairs from Association for Quality Journalism, TFC is independent of the parent organization in terms of full editorial and financial independence.

TFC is currently in the process of transforming into an independent foundation. The application for foundation establishment has been submitted to the Taiwan authority. Please see the attachment about TFC’s application to form an independent foundation.

The applicant is an independent fact-checking organization.

On the "Donation Acceptance Policy" page (https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/node/73), we state that TFC is a non-profit organization, and we receive donations through a dedicated bank account which is under our parent organization, Association for Quality Journalism.

One the subpage of "Donation Method" (https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/node/348), TFC shares its 2019 financial report including the funding status.

Funding sources are clearly shown.

We explain how and by whom editorial control is exercised on the page "Organizational Structure": https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/about/oganization.

When a draft is done, there will be another fact checker and the chief editor will edit and review it. If the fact check is controversial, it will be reviewed by the advisory committee.

TFC will review the fact checks weekly to make sure the topic meet the requirement of non-partisanship.

They are clearly presented on the website.

The TFC’s official website lists all members of the TFC, including the members of the Advisory Council and the staff. The professional biographies of staff including editor-in-chief and fact-checkers can found at the link: https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/about/oganization

I understand potential harassments and threats fact-checkers might receive but considering the relatively high degree of press freedom in Taiwan, perhaps TFC could consider disclosing more information about each staff. The biographical information is limited to educational background and job history without any descriptions about years of experience, links to their professional social media accounts (if any), and other details that might help its audience evaluate their commitment to fairness and non-partisanship as well as their possible conflict of interest.  

The Center’s website lists various contact methods, including telephone, fax, e-mail, and Facebook. The public can send any questions and comments to the members of the Center through the contact form on our contact page. The contact page can be found at https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/contact

Each fact checked report has a comments section at the end of the article where registered members are free to express their comments.

Furthermore, TFC offers several ways for audience to communicate with us, such as:messenger, line chatbot as well as the appeal page on our website:

https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/appeal

It is easy for the audience to reach out to the applicant.

TFC’s fact checking operation is based on the principles of openness, transparency, rigor and accountability. We state the methodology how TFC selects, researches, writes and publishes fact-checks at the link: https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/node/71 (For detailed standards on how we decide what to check, please refer to the statement for criteria 2.2)

Regarding fact-checking process, TFC adheres to the methodology below:

We interview at least two sources, including but not limited to experts, academics, government officers, and people who made the claim or involved.

We trace primary sources and original documentation.

We don't rely on government reports. We check it independently, verify the data with a non-partisan third party.

The fact-checks must be reviewed by at least three fact checking personnel before its publication. After the assigning reporter turns in the draft, at least two fact-checkers review and proofread the draft carefully to ensure accuracy and reach the agreement of the rating which the assigning reporter suggests. Then the rated report is brought to the editor in chief to final check the wording accuracy, structure integrity, rationality of the fact-check, and finalize the report.

Once the fact-check is published on TFC's website, the result will be released on TFC's Facebook, LINE, Twitter, and Instagram pages. In order to reach as many audiences as possible, TFC partners with media outlets such as Chinese Television System and National Education Radio to produce weekly programs based on our fact-checks. We also permit the publication to mainstream news outlets to expand the reach.

The methodology is clearly presented.

Their stories meet this criterion.

Fact-checks are presented with proper supporting evidence, and when needed, refute related "counter-evidence".

All evidence is evaluated adequately.

 Efforts are made to reach out to concerned parties and sources when needed.

The Center’s website includes an “Appeal Page” (https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/appeal) where the public can raise claims about doubtful news or information. TFC constantly reminds users on social media platforms to send in claims. In addition, TFC's Messenger ChatBot and Line ChatBot will be soon launched to collect claims from users as well.

If members of the public find in their daily life a piece of information or news which may be false or misleading, they can bring the information or news to the attention of the Center through the link “I have questions” on the appeal page.

If members of the public have any evidence which is helpful to verify or rebut suspected fake news or information, they can submit the information through the link “I have evidence” on the appeal page.

Moreover, the person(s) or the parties who are connected to the suspected fake news or information can also provide clarified information or comments through the link "I am a party” on the appeal page.

TFC explains how users submit their claim in the QA session of appeal page: https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/appeal/faq.

On the same page, TFC also explains what isn't fact-checkable: TFC only investigates claims put forward as fact and prioritizes issues related to public interest or sound misleading or wrong. TFC can’t fact-check people’s opinions or comments. We also emphasize on the Guidelines page (https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/node/71) that TFC doesn't check opinions.

It is clearly demonstrated that the applicant welcomes contributions from the public.

Taiwan FactCheck Center clearly lays out its correction and complaint policy which is available on the Center’s website (https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/node/129). The policy states how the public can comment on the fact checked report, how the center deals with the public opinion internally, and how the center issues its corrections.

Corrections and complaints policy are clear.

The applicant's correction policy meets this criterion.

TFC's fact-checks are open to external requests for corrections or complaints. The correction and complaints policy along with instruction is easily visible and accessible on the organization’s website

Once we receive a request, TFC's fact checkers must process it with a rigorous review. If the original report is found to contain errors, TFC should immediately make a correction and issue the correction openly and transparently in bold font.

As an example how TFC responds to correction requests, after the report "False: Posts claim that a research has confirmed that COVID-19 is man-made virus from Wuhan Lab" (https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/2500) was published on February 12, 2020, TFC received a request which pointed out that TFC misplaced the journey mentioned in the claim "Nature" for "Nature Medicine". TFC carefully reviewed the original source and then issued a correction on February 21, 2020, along with a note explaining the fact-check focusing on debunking the falsehood in the claim, not determining whether the virus is man-made.

In another report "False: Social media posts claim that the US will deploy 50,000 soldiers in Taiwan based on Taiwan Defence Act " (https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/articles/3999), we included experts' view and speculation as background material. Although that part of material wasn't used to dictate the conclusion, we issued a correction to clarify after receiving complaints regarding the issue to ensure the rigorousness of our fact-checks.

The applicant demonstrated they have handled corrections adequately and professionally after receiving requests from the audience.  

We introduce IFCN, the code of principles, IFCN's complaints policy in details, at the link:https://tfc-taiwan.org.tw/node/4474 On the same page, we state clearly that users can submit a complaint on the IFCN site when they believe TFC is violating the IFCN code of principles.

It is easy for the audience to find ways to reach out to IFCN through the applicant's website.

TFC is not the fact-checking unit of a media company.

Not applicable.