The spread of false information, particularly during the current coronavirus crisis, is a huge threat and it is up to journalists to ensure the public is properly informed at this important time.
To mark International Fact-Checking Day (2 April), Journalism.co.uk has compiled a range of fact-checking resources, guides and tools to help you debunk false claims and fake images.
FotoForensics
This free website allows users to check how much editing has been done to an image.
By dragging in a photo or inputting a URL, the service provides rapid analysis of metadata, colour adjustment and ‘digital fingerprints’. The website also features tutorials to help first-time users understand the results.
Creddar
This free online tool determines the credibility of an article based on feedback submitted by users and verified journalists.
Launched last year, users can rank individual articles between one and five stars and label whether an article was credible, biased or mistaken.
This gives you an idea of whether an article you have found online can be trusted and, with its partner program, you can also use it to get feedback from your readers and signal your outlet’s credibility to new readers.
Our.news
Currently a free Firefox and Chrome browser extension, Our.news provides a breakdown of the ingredients that make up a news article, much in the same way that food labels provide dietary information on the packaging of food items.
Like Creddar, it is informed by user ratings towards trust, spin, accuracy and other categories. It provides publisher and author information, as well as any third-party fact-checks that have been completed on the article, from sources like Snopes or factcheck.org.
Google Image Search
One of the most well-known ways of verifying images online, Google’s image search can trace back to where else a photo has appeared online, helping make sure the images you use are legitimate.
First Draft ‘Covering coronavirus’ course
Fact-checking organisation First Draft has recently launched a free online course to help journalists cover the covid-19 crisis.
The course aims to explain how and why false information spreads, share best practice around reporting on the pandemic and offer advice on protecting mental and emotional wellbeing during daily coverage.
First Draft also hosts a Verification Toolbox, aimed at streamlining the verification process for beginners, as well as guides to verifying photo and video content.
Full Fact
UK independent fact-checking charity Full Fact provides a free toolkit on their website, with guides on spotting misleading visual content, headlines and crime reporting to ensure you find the most credible information online.
Check
To speed up the process of fact-checking, open-source platform Check developed an automated workflow to debunk claims to respond to verification requests on private messaging apps.
The project logs all verified claims in a database which can then be used to respond automatically to similar or duplicate tips, allowing fact-checkers to focus on debunking new and unverified claims.
IFCN EduCheck Map
The International Fact-Checking Network features a database for helping to improve misinformation literacy, with resources from across the world and in a range of different languages.
The map features 200 different resources, investigations and projects tailored to the general public, students and reporters.
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