#COVID19 updates- Facebook and IFCN launch $1 million in grants for fact-checkers | CoronaVirus Fact-Checking Grant Program

From the Facebook page:

As the impact of COVID-19 has spread around the world, our independent third-party fact-checking partners have been debunking hoaxes across dozens of countries and languages. This work is a key piece of our multi-pronged strategy to reduce the spread of misinformation on our platforms, and it has never been more important.
Today we’re announcing that we’ve partnered with Poynter’s International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) to launch a $1M USD grant program to support fact-checkers in their work around COVID-19. In addition to providing critical funding enabling partners to maintain or increase their capacity during this time, the grants will also support proposals such as:
  • Translation of fact checks from native languages to different languages
  • Multimedia (videos, infographics, podcasts) production about COVID-19
  • Working with health experts for evidence-based and scientific coverage
  • Audience development initiatives that use innovative formats, such as offline or interactive communication, to better reach people with reliable information
  • Fact-checkers supporting public authorities with reliable information for better communication about COVID-19
“This timely investment in fact-checking will be instrumental in supporting the fact-checking organizations working around the clock on the #CoronaVirusFacts Alliance and the International Fact-Checking Network’s verified signatories. The IFCN has demonstrated its ability to lead the largest collaboration effort on the biggest outbreak in our century and Facebook’s support is welcomed by the fact-checking community,” said Baybars Orsek, IFCN’s Director.
Fact-checking organizations can find more details on IFCN’s website. Applications will be open from March 18 until April 1 at http://ifcn.submittable.com. The applications are only open to the fact-checking units that are active members of the #CoronaVirusFacts alliance and to IFCN’s verified signatories.
“The fact-checking community has been working very hard, day and night, since January to point out falsehoods about the new coronavirus. Social media platforms have a responsibility to combat this type of misinformation, it is great to see that Facebook is willing to support the CoronaVirusFacts Alliance”, said Cristina Tardáguila, the IFCN’s Associate Director and the coordinator of the COVID-19 collaborative project.
We’re grateful for our network of more than 55 independent fact-checking partners and the broader community, and look forward to seeing the ongoing impact of their work.

Emergency COVID-19 measures must not be used to roll back media freedom

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The International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists for press freedom, today urged governments worldwide to recognize the crucial role of independent news media in the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure that emergency measures to tackle the disease are not used as a pretext to censor news and information on- and offline or implement regressive regulations against media freedom.



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