International Fact-Checking Network of the Poynter Institute
The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) was launched by the Poynter Institute in 2015.
The Poynter Institute acts as a kind of certification body for fact-checkers, auditing and then awarding seals of approval, integrating them into a fact-checking network, providing tools (fact-checking tools), training fact-checkers, and providing funding for their training and establishment.
The money comes from companies like meta and Google. The Poynter Institute has also been supported by the Omidyar Network, founded by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife. [1]
IFCN fact checkers are also often funded by large private philanthropic foundations.
Anyone who has an IFCN seal could have potentially worked for Facebook as a fact checker. The seal was a requirement for Facebook fact checkers, but it does not mean that every fact checker with an IFCN seal worked or could work for Facebook.
Facebook has thus outsourced the verification of information for the purpose of identifying fake news to the Poynter Institute and its affiliated fact-checking community.
IFCN-certified fact checkers are also highlighted, "well ranked," and their reach boosted in social media or search engines such as Google.
In addition to the provision of tools that the IFCN offers, it is also proposing content. Articles of fact checkers as well as "facts" are exchanged within the community and further training and courses are offered:
The IFCN supports facts by networking, capacity structure and cooperation. The IFCN network reaches more than 170 facts checker organizations worldwide through interests of interest, training and global events. Our team observes the trends in the field of factual reviews to offer resources to the resources To contribute public discourse and to support new projects and initiatives. [2]
A so-called Code of Principles was designed for the fact-checker, which each certified fact-checking organization must sign. The signatories are called "signatories". After examining the signatory organization, the Poynter Institute awards the certification seal.
The " Code of Principles " contains fundamental journalistic principles with regard to careful research and the exclusion of partiality. In addition, the factual checker organizations must commit themselves to transparency in terms of their financing and their methodology.
However, the question arises as to how and to what extent compliance with the "Code of Principles" is checked and whether not politically tendentious content from the Poynter Institute and its institutional partners are incurred.
In mid-2022, the Poynter Institute entered into a cooperation with the Rand corporation.
Following Trump's 2024 election victory in the US, Mark Zuckerberg announced in early January 2025 that he would discontinue cooperation with fact-checkers on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, and instead allow users to write their own comments – similar to the approach on Elon Musk's platform X (formerly Twitter). The changes will initially be implemented only in the US.
The announcement triggered protests within the fact-checker community and also on the part of the EU. The European Commission threatened punishments.
In return, Zuckerberg said that Meta is planning to "tackle governments worldwide together with the designated US President Donald Trump, attack American companies and urge them to censor more - even in Europe." [3]
Die Coronavirusfacts Alliance of the Poynter Institute
In corona pandemic was on Poynter Institute Especially for the topic of "Corona and Vaccination" "its own fact check alliance, the so-called" CoronavirusFacts Alliance ".
This " Coronavirusfacts Alliance " aimed to uncover misinformation about coronavirus and the coronavirus vaccine. For this purpose, a number of tools and information were made available to the fact-checkers.
Such tools included, for example, quiz-style programs that asked questions about the Corona vaccination, such as whether there were serious side effects from the coronavirus vaccine. The "correct answer" was "No." Those who clicked "Yes" or "Maybe" received point deductions or were unable to progress in the quiz.
The quiz also tested fact checkers' ability to identify "reputable sources", while "reputable sources" being articles from major media outlets.
The Rand-Corporation listed such "fact checksal tools" on their website. [4]
During the Corona period, the CoronaVirusFacts Alliance emerged as a kind of task force that carried out strategic communication.
The European "European Fact-Checking Standards Network"
Based on the US IFCN, a European fact-checking network was founded in 2020, initially funded by the European Commission: The European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN).
TheEFCSN intended to apply even stricter standards to the fact checks in its self-expression and has developed its own "Code of Standards" for this purpose..
The funding of the EFCSN by the European Commission can be seen as part of the implementation of the "Action Plan against Disinformation", in which the establishment of fact-checking agencies is part of the European Action Plan against Disinformation.
The European Action Plan against Disinformation was published in 2018 by the European Commission and the High Representative and is primarily aimed at combating Russian influence in the online media and - in response to the Cambridge Analytica scandal - at influencing elections.
From November 2022 to October 2024, the EFCSN's executive board included David Schraven, the founder of correctiv, who helped set it up and is also connected to the IFCN.
Das European Digital Media Observatory
In addition to the European Fact-Checking Standards Network, another European network has been created, which is also financed by the European Union: the European Digital Media Observatory. It is a kind of observatory for the content that is spread on social media and, according to its own statements, is composed of fact checkers, scientists and political actors.[1] Source: Poynter Institute[2] PoynterInstitute[3] Tagesschau, called up 23.01.2025 [4] Rand corporation
The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) was launched by the Poynter Institute in 2015.
The Poynter Institute acts as a kind of certification body for fact-checkers, auditing and then awarding seals of approval, integrating them into a fact-checking network, providing tools (fact-checking tools), training fact-checkers, and providing funding for their training and establishment.
The money comes from companies like meta and Google. The Poynter Institute has also been supported by the Omidyar Network, founded by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife. [1]
IFCN fact checkers are also often funded by large private philanthropic foundations.
Anyone who has an IFCN seal could have potentially worked for Facebook as a fact checker. The seal was a requirement for Facebook fact checkers, but it does not mean that every fact checker with an IFCN seal worked or could work for Facebook.
Facebook has thus outsourced the verification of information for the purpose of identifying fake news to the Poynter Institute and its affiliated fact-checking community.
IFCN-certified fact checkers are also highlighted, "well ranked," and their reach boosted in social media or search engines such as Google.
In addition to the provision of tools that the IFCN offers, it is also proposing content. Articles of fact checkers as well as "facts" are exchanged within the community and further training and courses are offered:
The IFCN supports facts by networking, capacity structure and cooperation. The IFCN network reaches more than 170 facts checker organizations worldwide through interests of interest, training and global events. Our team observes the trends in the field of factual reviews to offer resources to the resources To contribute public discourse and to support new projects and initiatives. [2]
A so-called Code of Principles was designed for the fact-checker, which each certified fact-checking organization must sign. The signatories are called "signatories". After examining the signatory organization, the Poynter Institute awards the certification seal.
The " Code of Principles " contains fundamental journalistic principles with regard to careful research and the exclusion of partiality. In addition, the factual checker organizations must commit themselves to transparency in terms of their financing and their methodology.
However, the question arises as to how and to what extent compliance with the "Code of Principles" is checked and whether not politically tendentious content from the Poynter Institute and its institutional partners are incurred.
In mid-2022, the Poynter Institute entered into a cooperation with the Rand corporation.
Following Trump's 2024 election victory in the US, Mark Zuckerberg announced in early January 2025 that he would discontinue cooperation with fact-checkers on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, and instead allow users to write their own comments – similar to the approach on Elon Musk's platform X (formerly Twitter). The changes will initially be implemented only in the US.
The announcement triggered protests within the fact-checker community and also on the part of the EU. The European Commission threatened punishments.
In return, Zuckerberg said that Meta is planning to "tackle governments worldwide together with the designated US President Donald Trump, attack American companies and urge them to censor more - even in Europe." [3]
Die Coronavirusfacts Alliance of the Poynter Institute
In corona pandemic was on Poynter Institute Especially for the topic of "Corona and Vaccination" "its own fact check alliance, the so-called" CoronavirusFacts Alliance ".
This " Coronavirusfacts Alliance " aimed to uncover misinformation about coronavirus and the coronavirus vaccine. For this purpose, a number of tools and information were made available to the fact-checkers.
Such tools included, for example, quiz-style programs that asked questions about the Corona vaccination, such as whether there were serious side effects from the coronavirus vaccine. The "correct answer" was "No." Those who clicked "Yes" or "Maybe" received point deductions or were unable to progress in the quiz.
The quiz also tested fact checkers' ability to identify "reputable sources", while "reputable sources" being articles from major media outlets.
The Rand-Corporation listed such "fact checksal tools" on their website. [4]
During the Corona period, the CoronaVirusFacts Alliance emerged as a kind of task force that carried out strategic communication.
The European "European Fact-Checking Standards Network"
Based on the US IFCN, a European fact-checking network was founded in 2020, initially funded by the European Commission: The European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN).
TheEFCSN intended to apply even stricter standards to the fact checks in its self-expression and has developed its own "Code of Standards" for this purpose..
The funding of the EFCSN by the European Commission can be seen as part of the implementation of the "Action Plan against Disinformation", in which the establishment of fact-checking agencies is part of the European Action Plan against Disinformation.
The European Action Plan against Disinformation was published in 2018 by the European Commission and the High Representative and is primarily aimed at combating Russian influence in the online media and - in response to the Cambridge Analytica scandal - at influencing elections.
From November 2022 to October 2024, the EFCSN's executive board included David Schraven, the founder of correctiv, who helped set it up and is also connected to the IFCN.
Das European Digital Media Observatory
In addition to the European Fact-Checking Standards Network, another European network has been created, which is also financed by the European Union: the European Digital Media Observatory. It is a kind of observatory for the content that is spread on social media and, according to its own statements, is composed of fact checkers, scientists and political actors.[1] Source: Poynter Institute[2] PoynterInstitute[3] Tagesschau, called up 23.01.2025 [4] Rand corporation