GFCN launches free fact-checking training courses

The Global Fact-Сhecking Network has launched a free educational section on its official website offering resources to develop critical thinking and information verification skills. The platform already features video lectures and textual materials covering diverse topics — from identifying reliable sources to advanced techniques for geolocation verification, image/video analysis (OSINT), and fact-checking during wartime. They were prepared by experts from ANPO “Dialog Regions” and international specialists from Brazil, Portugal, other EU and BRICS+ countries. The initiative was presented during the session “The Struggle against Fakes: Formation of Global Infrastructure and Consolidation of Efforts” at the SPIEF-2025.

Disinformation today has evolved beyond a mere tool of public opinion manipulation — it has become a full-fledged weapon of information warfare. The distortion of facts, substitution of meanings, and deliberate creation of false narratives are now employed as elements of geopolitical strategy against individual nations and international communities. Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department and official spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, explained how disinformation has transformed in contemporary conditions:

“If previously we referred to the concept of a “disinformation campaign” — which involved massive budgets and strategic planning — today we have transitioned to a global situation where one can freely, even without a computer but just a phone, create a fake story that can inflict far greater damage than some deeply calculated or strategically refined actions. Even the absence of a news timestamp can become a trigger for tectonic shifts, including in international relations.”

Amid emerging information threats, combating misinformation and enhancing fact-checking quality remain top priorities. According to ANPO “Dialog Regions, ” Russia recorded over 1,800 unique fake news cases in 2025 – the highest number since the beginning of the Special Military Operation and throughout the entire history of monitoring misinformation in Russia. However, the volume of disinformation replicas reached its lowest level compared to previous years, totaling 2.39 million instances. This represents a 1.6-fold decrease from 2024 and a 2.4-fold reduction from 2023. Vladimir Tabak, CEO of ANPO “Dialog” and “Dialog Regions”, and President of GFCN, emphasized that this trend confirms both improved fake news mitigation effectiveness and the growing need for fact-checking education:

“We see tremendous interest, which gives us optimism about the further development of this work. Today, the principles of fact-checking are not entirely clear even to professional communities. Often, even those working in the field lack this expertise. This is likely due, first and foremost, to technological advancements, the transformation of the profession, and the sheer increase in information volume. To address these knowledge gaps, we are launching free educational courses on the GFCN website.”

Accurate and timely assessment of information is a critical element in national security systems. Today, information threats represent one of the most pressing global challenges. Deputy Chair of the Russian State Duma and Honored Lawyer of Russia, Irina Yarovaya, shared insights on how to counter these threats:

“Disinformation in the political sense is essentially information terrorism. We have learned to counter terrorism, and now it is time for nations and the journalistic community to respond swiftly to falsehoods and the deliberate dissemination of information that is explosive in its deceitfulness and intent. Some disinformation campaigns pose a civilizational threat, significantly impacting global security. Here, individual attempts to refute such claims are futile — what is needed is an international journalistic response system capable of rapid debunking to prevent policymakers from taking catastrophic actions”.

Today, countries across the globe are facing the challenges of disinformation. Information has become a weapon that can be wielded against individuals as well as entire nations. Karin Kneissl, Head of the G.O.R.K.I. Center at St. Petersburg State University and former Austrian Foreign Minister (2017–2019), shared insights on the current situation in Europe:

“In the early 1970s, UNESCO in Paris attempted to create a convention on disinformation. There was an effort to diversify the information landscape — more actors emerged, including correspondents whose work was well compensated. But this never became reality, because too many players worked against an honest environment. Journalism has devolved into mere communication; we no longer have the profession we once practiced, and virtually no newspapers remain that engage in real journalism. What we have now is communication tyranny.”

Geopolitician, journalist, specialist in world economy and international relations Pepe Escobar (Brazil) stressed that the modern world lives in a fake system of international relations. Therefore, in order to effectively fight the global disinformation machine, the idea of creating the GFCN needs to be institutionalized:

“A genocide is currently taking place, yet if you consult Western information sources, this genocide simply doesn’t exist. Brussels has become an unchecked fake news machine. This leads us to characterize the entire system of international relations as a fabrication machine. To counter this, we need initiatives like the GFCN.”

During the session, Vladimir Tabak additionally reported that ANPO “Dialog” is filing an appeal with the U.S. court in its case against the FBI regarding the return of the waronfakes.com domain name. Earlier, a judge at the Pennsylvania District Court dismissed the organization’s lawsuit filed last year, citing that sanctioned entities cannot own .com domain names. According to Vladimir Tabak, the appeal has strong chances of success, as the ruling contradicts U.S. sanctions legislation — numerous sanctioned companies from Russia and other countries continue to operate websites in this domain zone.