Fact check policy

Claim Selection:

False or misleading news pieces or claims can be sent to us through our email, fact-check helpline number, or our social media platforms. Our social media and input teams spend hours interacting with news pieces, online and those received by our reporters. Most of our verifying and debunking are based on their recommendations, or our own team scouring the internet for factual misrepresentation. Focus has always remained on stories or claims with larger implications, wider audiences, pertinent or trending topics, and areas of regular mis/disinformation. Here, we discuss and consider the potential harm that could be caused, the potential reach (virality), the individual(s)/account(s) making the claim(s), the potential consequences or importance of the claim, and the time horizon (old or new). We focus on verifying and working to debunk misleading political news, current affairs, and major events like the Covid-19 outbreak and statements surrounding it. Our fact-checks range from sports, health, lifestyle, and history to policy, among other topics.
 

First Check:

Once a few important claims have been selected, the first step is to identify the source(s), platform(s), and the original claim itself. This helps us identify the extent of the spread. The source/ link of the misleading claim is hyperlinked at the end of the article for all readers to see.

Procedure:

This is dependent on the type of content: text, video, and photographs are the most common. Different methods include calling all stakeholders, our ground reporters, using official government data, and gathering information from internationally and nationally reputed social and media organizations and various non-governmental international institutions like the WHO (especially during the first Covid-19 wave). A simple and generalized approach is mentioned below which allows readers to use simple methods to identify fake news or mis/disinformation and learn to fact-check themselves. This is part of our initiative to empower individuals as well.

Our first port of call is to examine the content. With a keen eye, irregularities can be noticed. On many occasions, we have been able to easily identify misleading pieces of information which allow us to quickly debunk them. Details are key to our work, for recognizing and then understanding the context in which the piece would have to be fact-checked. We are listing below some common irregularities that can be found, which can help you, as readers, conduct your own fact-checking:

1. Language: Audio in videos especially can help identify locations/regions to an extent

2. Background images, posters, addresses: Common in both videos and images. Can help identify various aspects of a claim

3. Source of content: What type of account is posting? Are they regularly posting any content? Is this content along any specific party lines? Check their earlier posts to gain such information. Check profile details too. Are they regularly reposting content others have posted? Or sharing similar posts from the same accounts? Such information can reveal a lot.

We use various tools as well, which we have listed below. These tools are regularly used and can be very helpful in accurately determining information:

For images:

1. Google Reverse Image Search

2. Yandex Reverse Image Search

3. Exif Data

For video content:

1. InVid Video Tool

2. YouTube Data Viewer

These are not mentioned in any specific order and can be used at depending on the requirement. This is not an exhaustive list, there are plenty of other great places you can go to fact-check.

If you feel that there is something we are missing out on, or can do better at, please feel free to let us know. You can also let us know if there are some tools that we are missing out on. We can be reached through our dedicated number or our email, both of which can be found on our Contact Us page .

• Our fact-check department ensures adherence to our methodology and a commitment to non-partisanship. Our fact-checking process deters personal biases, which works to look at all stories through a critical and objective lens based on factual information. Our fact-checks do not contain any personal opinions, they are facts. We ensure that all those recruited into the fact-checking team do not have any affiliation with any state or the national government, politician, or political party.

• The other integral aspects of our non-partisanship policy are mentioned below:

  • Employees are not allowed to be affiliated with any politician or any political party, and must not advocate for or represent any political leaning or views.

  • Employees are not allowed to participate in any political protests or campaigns.

  • Employees are not allowed to use any office resources to help amplify the voice of any political campaign, party, state, or national government.

• Employees found to be violating any of these terms will be subject to an internal review/hearing process whereby required action will be taken.

• Non-partisanship is non-negotiable for Rozana Spokesman, and we stand by all principles mentioned above. All employees must adhere to these policies.

Why is it important to us?

• Political funding and pressure can influence the content we are striving to create, disturbing its originality and factuality. Sometimes, this can lead to biased views or mis/disinformation. The powerful fourth pillar of democracy must serve to protect, preserve and uphold the rights to truthful and factual information by exercising our freedom of expression. We at Rozana Spokesman value our voice and independence. Our stance is clear, we will continue to raise our voice for the people through reporting honest, independent, and factual information.

• Rozana Spokesman’s fact-checking department strives to produce accurate content based on facts and/ or any required verifications. Although, sometimes mistakes are made. Here, we believe that any mistakes in our fact-checks should be instantly acknowledged, corrected, clarified, and retracted if needed.

• We invite our readers to write to us at factcheck@rozanaspokesman.com if any discrepancy is found in our work, any information, data, or links we have used. Please write “Correction” followed by the title of the article in the subject line. Please tell us why the information is incorrect, a link to where you find this factual information, and add the link to our article in the body.

Note: Personal opinions do not qualify as a reason for us to review or correct our work.

How is a correction made?

• A correction is made within 48 hours. If the verification process takes longer*, please allow us to extend this deadline by another 48 hours. This is to ensure that our vetting process is thoroughly executed. If a correction is made, it will be prominently displayed on the article itself along with the editor’s note expressing regret and any additional information or sources we use to attain any required information.

• *Sometimes it can take longer than usual to verify and vet information. There can be delays when trying to track down sources, especially outdoor correspondents and field reporters.

• If you are not satisfied with our fact-check or corrections, please feel free to mail us at factcheck@rozanaspokesman.com

For any correction-related issue or any claim verification:

You can also message or call us at +91 91155 50160