IFCN: "Good journalism and fact-checking are supposed to be a mirror against the powerful to hold them into account"

My name is Salvador Rodriguez-Ruiz. I work at the International Fact-checking network, housed at the Pointer Institute. I am a program officer for the IFCN, code of principles. I manage the applications of fact-checkers who want to become part of the IFCN and commit to transparency, accuracy, and non-biased fact-checks. 

I am invited here to participate in XV Central Asian Forum InternetCA-2024, to talk about our organization, and what our work entails in battling disinformation. In today’s session, I am clarifying how fact-checking organizations can become members of IFCN.  My goal here is to assist journalists and fact-checkers in beginning to think about fact-checking as a valid option for them to learn about the fact-checking programs that currently exist in their country and region and provide clarification on our organization's application and verification process.

What I wish to see afterwards (when I’m gone), is that the provided information about the training programs available on our website will help in various ways to conduct fact-checking, the programs on the IFCN website for grant opportunities can help the media environment in Central Asia promote good and fact-checking journalism.

During the time, I have been here, learning about the media environment, its relationship with press freedom, freedom of expression, information, specific issues of disinformation, regarding medical, and environmental issues, and also propaganda from outside actors, CA is in a position where the information environment requires the fact-checking to become more robust and provide the public with accurate, reliable, unbiased, non-partisan information. 

Good journalism and good fact-checking are supposed to be a mirror against the powerful and to hold the powerful into account whether they are governmental or non-profit organizations, both private individuals. Good journalism is designed to be a product that helps hold the people in power accountable and promotes truthful, honest information to the public. There may be ways to collaborate for NGOs that focus on journalism building on international products like that (IFCN) or through grant programs. It’s just a matter of what’s best for the environment, journalists what they think would be the best process of promoting and advancing the process and information.

Media literacy (ML) is critical. The news industry and reading news can be very confusing for individuals not in that industry. And ML is a powerful component in teaching people how the information is done and provides opportunities for local news organizations, newspapers, and fact-checking organizations not only to build trust but also to community who they are how they work and promote more honest discourse.

Our industry has very specific standards that many people do not understand how the process works which could be seen as biased or dishonest. And media literacy can help to prevent this misinterpretation.

Salvador Rodriguez-Ruiz

Program Officer, International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN).