WebQoof By The Quint Becomes A Verified Signatory of Poynter Institute's IFCN “Code of Principles”

Press Release

WebQoof

Mumbai, February 05, 2019

‘WebQoof’, the fact-checking arm of The Quint, was granted signatory status for the Poynter Institute's International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) Code of Principles, on Tuesday, 29th January 2019. This development signifies the considerable progress made in the fight against misinformation and fake news. Widely recognised as an authoritative body in the domain, fact-checkers all across the globe adhere to the “code of principles” provided by the IFCN, in order to promote transparent and unbiased fact-checking.

Launched in May 2017, WebQoof utilises multiple sources, ranging from in-house technology to on-ground reportage, to verify and legitimise information. As a result, it has already earned itself a huge, dedicated audience, which draws attention to misleading or fake information circulating on social media in order to get it fact-checked on the vertical. That's how the video-first platform addresses and clarifies the contested information, through short, fast-paced, to-the-point clips. With election season coming up, the influx of propaganda and divisive misinformation campaigns only stress the urgent need for platforms like WebQoof, which work to expose viral misinformation and bring out the truth.

Speaking about the certification, Ritu Kapur, Founder and CEO, The Quint, said, “Disinformation is among the biggest malaise of our times, and The Quint is invested not just in debunking false news, but also in putting out verified facts before its readers. Our readers have partnered with us in this initiative by sharing suspicious content with us for fact-checking. The IFCN accreditation underlines the credibility of The Quint’s fact-checking initiative – Webqoof – and will help us build further on this work.”

The code of principles formulated by IFCN was drafted on the basis of collaborative discussions with fact-checkers from all around the world, and serves as a set of fundamental guidelines for all conscientious practitioners to follow. These entail a commitment to Non-partisanship and Fairness, Transparency of Sources, Transparency of Funding and Organisation, Transparency of Methodology, and an Open and Honest Corrections Policy.

For any further information, please contact:

Brinda Mehta

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