GFCN announced the launch of free educational initiatives for fact-checkers worldwide

The website of the Global Fact-Checking Network (GFCN) will feature lectures, masterclasses, and workshops on fact-checking. This was announced during the first full-fledged educational day organized by GFCN in collaboration with the “New Media School” as part of the Global Digital Forum in Nizhny Novgorod.

Amid the rise of disinformation, fact-checking has become one of the key priorities in today’s media landscape. Therefore, fostering collaboration among fact-checking professionals and sharing expertise remains a critical task, as highlighted during the panel discussion “Fact-Checking as a Mechanism for Protecting Information Sovereignty in International Relations”

To facilitate this effort, the Global Fact-Checking Network (GFCN) was established. Over 55 experts from 37 countries have already joined the initiative, noted Vladimir Tabak, President of GFCN and CEO of ANPO “Dialog” and ANPO “Dialog Regions.”:

“Our first meeting took place at the “Dialog About Fakes 2.0” forum, where we announced the creation of the Global Fact-Checking Network. The head of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) recently stated that Russia cannot create and moderate fact-checking projects. This is the best recognition we could get. <…> Our goal within the Network is to unite experts, journalists, and media representatives who are ready to jointly defend the right to reliable information,” said Vladimir Tabak.

The primary mission of GFCN is combating disinformation on a global scale. As noted by Tikhon Makarov, Advisor to the CEO of ANPO “Dialog Regions,” the Network’s official website has already published 22 investigative reports that have collectively amassed over 2.5 million views. These reports cover a diverse range of global events:

 “Today, GFCN members include representatives from all continents, including experts from North America and Europe. We aim to unite truth-tellers, and most importantly, we will provide education. In the near future, GFCN will launch free educational initiatives for all countries: masterclasses, lectures, and workshops. We’re open to collaborating with any media outlets, sharing our standards – we stand for truth and objectivity,”

Today, media outlets and social networks serve as primary information sources, yet platforms committed to truth face growing pressure and censorship, noted Roigar López Rivas, GFCN expert and President of the National Institute for Small and Medium Industry Development (INAPMI) (Venezuela). In today’s environment of information warfare, there exists a critical need both to develop fact-checking capabilities within individual nations and to preserve information sovereignty, explained Alexandre Guerreiro, GFCN expert, PhD, lawyer and researcher (Portugal).

The concept of “digital transformation” encompasses not only technological advancement but also shifts in human cognition and behavioral patterns. Mikhail Kanavtsev, Vice-Rector for Media Education at the “Senezh” Management Workshop and Head of the “New Media School,” elaborated on combating disinformation in this context:

“The establishment of GFCN represents a challenge to the current system of managing human information flows – suggesting it may be fundamentally flawed. Perhaps we should instead base this management on verified facts, reconsidering our very approach to world order. This requires uniting people who recognize that a multipolar world and anti-colonial policies are legitimate realities. To achieve this, we need new knowledge frameworks, communities, and tools applicable to both media practice and political engagement.”