European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN)

Elon might not, but X users really like fact-checking in their community notes In Fundación Maldita.es we have analyzed the 1,175,837 #CommunityNotes proposed by #X users worldwide in 2024 and found that articles from #factchecking organizations are already the third most used source and that community notes that cite our fact-checks as evidence are more trusted and often twice as likely to be considered useful by users, thus appearing faster in the tweets. A few highlights: 📝 Fact-checking organizations are the 3rd most used reference globally when someone proposes a community note on X, only behind X itself and Wikipedia. Links to fact-checkers that are part of the European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN) or the International Fact-Checking Network are present in 1 of every 27 notes proposed. 👀 Community notes that contain a link to a fact-checking organization are more trusted by X users and thus much more likely to become visible alongside tweets that contain misinformation: only 8.3% of all proposed notes become visible, but it is 12% for those citing evidence from a fact-checking organization and 15.2% if it does so from a European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN) member. 🏃➡️ Community notes that cite the work of fact-checking organizations are faster. They are proposed by users sooner after the original tweet is posted and they are rated as useful by users also more quickly. Community notes with evidence from fact-checkers become visible 90 minutes earlier than general notes. 🇪🇺 Fact-checking organizations appear in the top 20 most-cited domains on Community Notes in all of the five biggest official languages in the EU: 🇩🇪German, 🇫🇷French, 🇮🇹Italian, 🇪🇸Spanish, and 🇵🇱Polish. Congrats to our friends at CORRECTIV, AFP Factuel, Facta/Pagella Politica, and Stowarzyszenie Demagog While the program is far from perfect, it already relies a lot on fact-checkers, further demonstrating how trying to "replace" our organizations with community notes is missing the point (on purpose, generally). Curious about the full report? Go check it! Thanks to Marina Sacristán Hidalgo, the real force behind it, and to all fact-checkers worldwide whose hard work made it possible.

The EFCSN welcomes the conversion of the EU Code of Practice on Disinformation to a DSA Code of Conduct. It is a step toward a safer information space in Europe. Yet, the EFCSN remains concerned that some relevant platforms have not yet signed the Code or have withdrawn from important commitments. Read the full statement: https://lnkd.in/dC39kt3e

With less than four weeks until the German snap elections, one of our German members, CORRECTIV, has published a report that shows a Russian influence operation known as Storm-1516 has created about 100 websites that will probably be used to spread disinformation soon. Read the report here: https://lnkd.in/dmE3Ghwh

The EFCSN is alarmed by some platforms’ retraction from the same commitments they took just two years ago under the Code of Practice on Disinformation and is concerned about their overall commitment to the welfare of millions the Europeans who use their services every day. As the Code evolves from a voluntary set of principles to an official co-regulatory instrument of the Digital Services Act, Google, YouTube and LinkedIn’s complete withdrawal from the fact-checking chapter is extremely concerning. Research shows fact-checking and fact-checking labels work, and Community Notes are not an effective alternative. Read the full statement: https://lnkd.in/dED7AqKH

We have opened a call for climate researchers to join a database of experts to facilitate collaboration with fact-checkers as part of the #EuroClimateCheck (FactCRICIS) project. EuroClimateCheck is an ambitious initiative to strengthen Europe’s ability to combat climate misinformation. By empowering fact-checkers and promoting collaboration with climate experts, this initiative helps ensure accurate, science-based information is available to counter false narratives that undermine climate action. Know a climate expert who wants to stop climate misinformation? Find out more and apply the join the database here: https://lnkd.in/dZxmK2NK

🤔 How good a job have fact-checkers been doing in Meta's fact-checking program? Well, according to Meta's own data a very good one - just look at Faceook's appeal numbers: Only about 3% of fact-checked misinformation that was challenged by users got un-demoted. For all other categories, it's well above 60%! See screenshot. 👉 Turns out having expert human beings research and investigate the veracity of factual claims delivers very robust results. Thanks to Carlos Hernández-Echevarría and Marina Sacristán Hidalgo for pointing out this very important data point.

The EFCSN is disappointed by Meta’s decision to end its Third Party Fact-Checking Program and condemns its CEO’s statements linking fact-checking with censorship. Fact-checking is not censorship, but rather fact-checking adds to public debates and provides context for citizens to make up their own minds. The EFCSN encourages the European Union to stand strong in the face of such political pressure and not be deterred in its efforts to stop the spread of mis- and disinformation. Read the full statement: https://lnkd.in/dmEc6bcw

The EFCSN’s recently released report shows that platforms are falling short on the commitments made in the EU Code of Practice on Disinformation. In our recommendations, the EFCSN “urgently calls for the platforms to change their overall strategy in the fight against disinformation, establishing lasting partnerships with the fact-checking community, fully integrating their work in their moderation systems and giving adequate access to relevant data to effectively combat disinformation.” Read about the findings and access the full report: https://lnkd.in/dA9J-S5P

The EFCSN calls on TikTok to take action against disinformation on their platform after the Romanian election. Recommendations include devoting more resources to countering disinformation on the platform, expanding their fact-checking program, labeling all misinformation instead of only removing harmful content, and allowing for greater transparency about the fact-checking work done for TikTok. Read the full statement: https://lnkd.in/eYsXeKMA EFCSN member based in Romania, Funky Citizens, has investigated the topic, highlighting current evidence which suggests that disinformers exploited TikTok extensively to spread false and misleading narratives: https://lnkd.in/eN9svSwU

Proud to see the collective effort of the EFCSN community shine in this insightful piece by Maldita.es tackling misinformation spreading through Europe about the DANA phenomenon in Valencia. Give it a read: https://lnkd.in/ddWmX5HK