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Repository: Fact-Checking Initiatives in the EU (and in the UK)

Editorial section
This is the editorial section of the EDMO repository of European fact-checking initiatives. Scroll down to read the portraits and learn more about individual operations across Europe.
To go back to the EDMO map and table overview page, click here.
afp_factuel

AFP Factuel

(public, for profit)

Based in: Paris, France

Launched in: 2017

Initiator: Phil Chetwynd (journalist) & AFP

Main source of income: Commercial services

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 125

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 5000

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 7500

Focus topics: Political statements, health disinfo, hoaxes/viral disinfo, digital forensics

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • Provide accurate, balanced and unbiased news coverage
  • Correct errors promptly and transparently
  • Explain research/investigation methods and tools

Last update: 12/22

faktenfinder

ARD-faktenfinder

(public, non-profit news)

Based in: Hamburg, Germany

Launched in: 2017

Initiator: Patrick Gensing (journalist and editor)

Main source of income: Fees

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 4

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 40

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 150

Focus topics: Political issues, disinformation campaigns

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • Investigate rumours
  • Correct false reports
  • Provide background information on current topics

Last update: 12/21

br24

BR24 #Faktenfuchs

(public, non-profit)

Based in: Munich, Germany

Launched in: 2017

Initiator: Gudrun Riedl (journalist)

Main source of income: License fees

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 6

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 90-100

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 100

Focus topics: viral hoaxes, political statements, rumors, conspiracy narratives

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • Reveal misconceptions and misinformation, get to the bottom of rumors
  • Answer questions
  • Stay committed to journalistic values, transparency, principles of scrutiny

Last update: 08/22

debunk_eu

Debunk.eu

(private, non-profit)

Based in: Vilnius, Lithuania

Launched in: 2017

Initiator: Viktoras Dauksas

Main source of income: Grants

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: 300.000 Euros (2020)

Number of fact checkers: 15

Hours spent on fact checking per week: ca. 600

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 100

Focus topics: Misinformation/disinformation in the Baltics, AI-driven verfication, collaborative verification (newsrooms + civil society)

Formats: Reports/white papers

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • research disinformation in the public space
  • run media literacy campaigns
  • strive for a better-informed, more resilient society

Last update: 01/22

Elinika

Ellinika Hoaxes

(private, non-profit)

Based in: Thessaloniki, Greece

Launched in: 2012

Initiator: Theodoros Daniilidis (fact checker)

Main source of income: Facebook grants

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 9

Hours spent on fact checking per week: –

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 450

Focus topics: conspiracy theories, pseudoscience, political agitation, viral hoaxes

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • bring down false information on the (Greek) internet and protect it as a valuable source of information
  • investigate and “demolish”
  • be open for good arguments and credible sources
  • stay transparent and politically independent

Last update: 04/22

disinfo_lab

EU DisinfoLab

(private, non-profit)

Based in: Brussels, Belgium

Launched in: 2017

Initiator: Alexandre Alaphillipe, Gary Machado (as citizens)

Main source of income: Grants, subsidies

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: –

Hours spent on fact checking per week: –

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: –

Focus topics: exposing disinfo networks and strategies, digital forensics

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • create a society in which all citizens understand the informational context they live in and are less susceptible to attempts of manipulation (especially on social media)
  • promote education, quality information, integrity, democracy / rule of law, and collective action

Last update: 12/21

EUfactcheck

EU FactCheck

(private, non-profit)

Based in: Utrecht, Netherlands

Launched in: 2019

Initiator:Nadia Vissers and the EJTA Board

Main source of income: Grants

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 50

Hours spent on fact checking per week: –

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 120

Focus topics: supra-national policies in Europe, political statements regarding the EU or EU countries

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • build a sustainable curriculum unit on fact-checking within a European network of journalism schools
  • give students (and the public) deeper insights into democratic processes on the national and European level – and foster their interest in what’s going on
  • spark fact-based debates in the EU
  • stimulate media and information literacy

Last update: 05/22

eurecom_coronacheck

EURECOM CoronaCheck

(public, non-profit)

Based in: Biot, France

Launched in: 2020

Initiator: Paolo Papotti (academic)

Main source of income: Grants

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 0 (automated system)

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 10-20 (to improve the system)

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 8000

Focus topics: Coronavirus/COVID-19

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • fight misinformation related to the Coronavirus/COVID-19
  • automatically verify statistical claims with official data
  • explain and foster automatic verification

Last update: 12/22

eu_vs_disinfo

EU vs Disinfo

(public, non-proft)

Based in: Brussels, Belgium

Launched in: 2015

Initiator: Member states of the EU

Main source of income: Public funds

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: –

Hours spent on fact checking per week: –

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: –

Focus topics: Russian disinformation campaigns

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • increase public awareness and understanding of the Kremlin’s disinformation operations
  • help citizens in Europe and beyond develop resistance to digital information and media manipulation

Last update: 08/22

facta

FACTA

(private, non-proft)

Based in: Italy

Launched in: 2020

Initiator: Pagella Politica

Main source of income: Grants

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 3

Hours spent on fact checking per week: –

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: –

Focus topics: viral hoaxes, conspiracy narratives, disinformation on social media

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
  • Facebook, WhatsApp
  • IFCN
Mission statement / Objectives
  • explain which news (on social media) are false, inaccurate, decontextualized, manipulated
  • stick to verifiable claims and numbers
  • be transparent about sources and conclusions
  • remain politically independent

Last update: 07/22

fcvl

factcheck. vlaanderen

(private, non-profit)

Based in: Antwerp, Belgium

Launched in: 2018

Initiator: Tim Pauwels (journalist)

Main source of income: Donations

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 19

Hours spent on fact checking per week: –

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: –

Focus topics: –

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • ensure public debate is based on facts (rather than prejudice and misinformation)
  • be fair, impartial, and transparent

Last update: 09/22

factual_ro

Factual.ro

(private, non-profit)

Based in: Bucharest, Romania

Launched in: 2014

Initiator: A group of volunteers (young professionals)

Main source of income: Donations (crowdfunding)

Other sources of income: One grant (2016)

Annual expenditure: 2000 Euros (2020)

Number of fact checkers: 5

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 20

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 150

Focus topics: Verification of political statements in Romania

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • foster fact-based public debates
  • fight populism

Last update: 01/22

fakenews.pl

FakeNews.pl

(private, non-profit)

Based in: Lodz, Poland

Launched in: 2019

Initiator: Karol Orzeł

Main source of income: Grants, donations

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: 30.000 Euros (2021)

Number of fact checkers: 3

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 40

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 100

Focus topics: Viral hoaxes, War on Ukraine, Coronavirus/COVID-19 disinfo

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • report on and analyze all kinds of “fake news”
  • provide objective and reliable information
  • foster fact-based, rational debates and decisions

Last update: 12/22

faktabaari

FaktaBaari

(private, non-profit project)

Based in: Helsinki, Finland

Launched in: 2014

Initiator: Mikko Salo & team

Main source of income: Grants

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: 50.000 Euros

Number of fact checkers: 2

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 20

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 15

Focus topics: political statements, viral hoaxes, misinfo/disinfo in the domain of education (Faktabaari EDU)

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • provide fact-checking and digital media literacy services
  • adheres to the (Finnish) code ethics for journalists

Last update: 08/22

faktograf

Faktrograf

(private, non-profit project)

Based in: Zagreb, Croatia

Launched in: 2015

Initiator: Croatian Journalists’ Association, GONG (Croatian NGO)

Main source of income: Grants

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 8

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 320

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 350

Focus topics: Coronavirus misinformation, anti-vaccination claims, viral hoaxes, political statements

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • check the statements of politicians and other actors relevant to the (Croatian) public
  • verify, debunk, and evaluate in a professional, ethical, and independent way
  • do away with misinformation in the public space
  • prevent unfounded claims from gaining the status of facts

Last update: 12/22

fhj_factory

FHJ Factory

(public, non-profit)

Based in: Tilburg, Netherlands

Launched in: 2008

Initiator: Monique Hamers (teacher)

Main source of income: Educational funding

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 2

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 3

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 35

Focus topics: Viral claims

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • fact-checking – “perhaps the most important principle in journalism”
  • check statements by politicians, companies, NGOs, and journalists
  • verify photos and videos
  • blog about latest developments in both the fact checking and the disinfo scene

Last update: 04/22

infox-removebg-preview

Infox.fr

(private, for profit)

Based in: Paris, France

Launched in: 2019

Initiator: Spin Partners (a consulting firm)

Main source of income: Commercial income

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: –

Hours spent on fact checking per week: –

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: –

Focus topics: Business controversies, scientific controversies

Formats: –

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • consult/support organizations and individuals confronted with misinformation and disinformation.

Last update: 05/22

kkb-removebg-preview

Källkritikbyrån

(private, for profit)

Based in: Stockholm, Sweden

Launched in: 2020

Initiator: Linnéa Jonjons, Åsa Larsson, Jack Werner (journalists)

Main source of income: Collaborations

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 1

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 30

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: –

Focus topics: Viral claims

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
  • Facebook
Mission statement / Objectives
  • verify/falsify/contextualize claims that have gone viral on social media
  • provide correct and relevant information to readers
  • stay committed to ethical, independent journalism

Last update: 05/22

knack

KNACK Factchek

(private, for-profit news)

Based in: Brussels, Belgium

Launched in: 2012

Initiator: Jan Jagers (journalist)

Main source of income: –

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: –

Hours spent on fact checking per week: –

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 100

Focus topics: Health, science, politics (broad focus)

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • provide “a dam” against disinformation in uncertain times
  • get to the truth
  • stick to principles of unbiased information, transparency, and scrutiny

Last update: 08/22

maldita

Maldita

(private, non-profit news)

Based in: Madrid, Spain

Launched in: 2017

Main source of income: Crowd funding

Other sources of income: media collaborations, grants, projects, services

Annual expenditure: 700.000 Euros (2020)

Number of fact checkers: 15

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 700

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 1700

Focus topics: Fact-checking and debunking with regard to politics and social issues (migration, gender), science, technology and everything else that’s relevant.

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • monitor and supervise political discourse
  • promote transparency
  • verify and fight against misinformation
  • promote media and information literacy (MIL) as well as MIL tools
  • help people “not to be fooled”; establish an informed community able to fight back against all kinds of lies and propaganda

Last update: 10/21

nelez

NELEŽ

(private, non-profit)

Based in: Prague, Czech Republic

Launched in: 2020

Initiator: a group of media professionals

Main source of income: none

Other sources of income: none

Annual expenditure: none

Number of fact checkers: –

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 5-10

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: –

Focus topics: disinfo monetization

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • stand for the truth and against disinformation
  • fight the monetization of disinformation, alert unwitting brands about ads appearing in a shady context

Last update: 04/22

Nieuwscheckers

LEI Nieuwscheckers

(public, non-profit)

Based in: Leiden, Netherlands

Launched in: 2009

Initiator: Alexander Pleijter, Peter Burger (both academics)

Main source of income: Public funds, grants

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 3

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 40

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 50

Focus topics: –

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • fact-check questionable claims made by public figures and (news) media
  • teach the public how to look critically at messages and narratives
  • familiarize students of journalism and new media at Leiden University with fact-checking methods and tools
  • improve the quality of public debate

Last update: 12/22

notre_planete

Notre Planète

(private, non-proft)

Based in: Salles-Sur-Mer, France

Launched in: 2001

Initiator: Christophe Magdelaine (environmentalist)

Main source of income: Subscriptions

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: 10.000 Euros

Number of fact checkers: 3

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 2

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 50

Focus topics: viral hoaxes, scientific claims

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • provide up-to-date, easy-to-understand information in the field of environmental and Earth sciences
  • strive for facts and reliable information
  • encourage rational debates
  • remain independent of political, financial, or religious lobby groups

Last update: 07/22

pagella

Pagella Politica

(private, for profit)

Based in: Milan, Italy

Launched in: 2012

Initiator: Pietro Curatolo, Daniele De Bernardin, Federica Fusi, Giorgio Gagnor, Amerigo Lombardi, Alexios Mantzarlis, Flavia Mi, Andrea Saviolo, Silvia Sommariva e Carlo Starace (all students at the time)

Main source of income: Media partnerships, European projects

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 4

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 160

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 600

Focus topics: political statements

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • foster political debates based on hard facts and reliable data
  • hold politicians to account
  • verify and analyze
  • enable dialogue and build trust
  • be transparent
  • remain independent

Last update: 04/22

poligrafo

Poligrafo

(private, for-profit news)

Based in: Lisbon, Portugal

Launched in: 2018

Initiator: Fernando Esteves

Main source of income: Facebook Third Party Program

Other sources of income:

Annual expenditure: 350.000 Euros (2020)

Number of fact checkers: 8

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 400

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 1300

Focus topics: Viral hoaxes, political statements

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • establish truth in the public sphere
  • serve audiences
  • advocate liberal democracy
  • be politically independent
  • be transparent
  • use new technologies in journalism
  • stick to journalism ethics and standards

Last update: 10/21

pravda

Pravda

(private, non-profit news)

Based in: Warsaw, Poland

Launched in: 2020

Initiator: Jakub Śliż

Main source of income:

Other sources of income:

Annual expenditure:

Number of fact checkers: 4

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 50

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 52

Focus topics: Political statements, current issues

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • verify and educate
  • prevent the spread of misinformation
  • improve the quality of public debate
  • develop verification technology
  • help create a world where everyone has access to reliable information and can distinguish between the truth and false, manipulative statements

Last update: 12/22

rfi

RFI Les Dessous de L'Infox

(public, non-profit news)

Based in: Issy-les-Moulineaux / Paris, France

Launched in: 2017

Initiator: RFI Newsdesks

Main source of income: Public funds (French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs)

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 1

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 1.5

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 50

Focus topics: Disinformation in international news

Formats: (Online) Radio show

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • Spot the fake in the news, help people see more clearly.

Last update: 11/21

VerificaRTVE

RTVE VerificaRTVE

(public, non-profit news)

Based in: Spain11

Launched in: 2019

Initiator: Miriam Hernanz

Main source of income: Public funds

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 7

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 280

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 120

Focus topics: Health, science, social concerns, current issues

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • analyze viral social media content
  • debunk hoaxes and expose false information

Last update: 12/22

surligneurs-removebg-preview

Les Surligneurs

(private, non-profit)

Based in: Paris, France

Launched in: 2017

Initiator:Vincent Couronne (an academic)

Main source of income: Subsidies, advertisements

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: –

Number of fact checkers: 20

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 100

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 150

Focus topics: Political statements

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • analyze/verify statements by public figures with a focus on legal compliance (“legal checking”)
  • discuss political news from a legal point of view
  • put the law back at the heart of public debates

Last update: 05/22

journal_ie

THE JOURNAL

(private, for-profit news)

Based in: Dublin, Ireland

Launched in: 2016

Initiator: The Journal’s editorial team

Main source of income: Grants

Other sources of income: Advertising revenue

Annual expenditure: 150.000 Euros

Number of fact checkers: 2

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 80

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 150

Focus topics: Viral mis- and disinformation on wide range of topics including health, climate change, immigration, social issues and others of public interest

Formats: Online articles/social media posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • To stem misinformation and disinformation in a timely manner through debunking, fact-checking and investigative work
  • To encourage transparency in public discourse
  • To surface and analyse misinformation narratives for the public to understand how their information ecosystem is being impacted
  • To provide quality data and journalism to help the public make informed decisions on issues affecting their lives and society as a whole

Last update: 03/23

tjekdet-removebg-preview

Tjekdet

(private, non-profit news)

Based in: Denmark, Copenhagen

Launched in: 2016

Initiator: Lisbeth Knudsen

Main source of income: Public funds

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: 670.000 Euros (2020)

Number of fact checkers: 5

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 180

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 200

Focus topics: Political statements, digital forensics, heath issues, viral hoaxes

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • foster an informed, qualified public debate; strengthen democratic dialogue
  • fight mis- and disinformation
  • offer nuanced fact-checking

Last update: 10/21

Wojownicy Klawiatury

Wojownicy Klawiatury

(private, non-profit news)

Based in: Poland

Launched in: 2019

Initiator: Ignacy Niemczycki (CEO of the Bronislaw Geremek Foundation)

Main source of income: Grants

Other sources of income: –

Annual expenditure: 30.000 Euros (2021)

Number of fact checkers: 3

Hours spent on fact checking per week: 20-40

Pieces of fact checking/verification content published annually: 25

Focus topics: Political statements, health issues (COVID-19), climate change, popular content on Polish social media

Formats: Online articles/blog posts

Partnerships / associated organisations
Mission statement / Objectives
  • fight disinformation and manipulated content
  • offer basic and advanced verification training

Last update: 12/22