Fake news orbits the planet in an instant on social media. Is the truth keeping pace?
Journalists, news sites and sharp-eyed citizens around the world are spotting dubious claims, checking facts and explaining the details to the public. But this debunking is often in the form of long explanations that don’t quickly make a strong case on social media.
With the support of the Craig Newmark Foundation, ICFJ has launched TruthBuzz: The Viral Fact-Checking Contest, a global challenge to invent new ways to help verified facts reach the widest possible audience. The contest is seeking entries that debunk fake news and share solid fact-checking in engaging or entertaining ways that are instantly understandable and shareable. ICFJ will welcome entries in any digital format (e.g., video, cartoon, graphic, .gif, photo, audio file) and in seven languages.
“We need new thinking when it comes to fact-checking,” said ICFJ President Joyce Barnathan. “This competition will do just that. It will arm journalists with new ways to tell the truth that are instantly compelling.”
ICFJ is hosting a webinar to answer questions and help prospective applicants refine their ideas. The winning entries will appear on a public site where the global truth-telling community can engage with and learn from the entries.
"As a news consumer, I want news I can trust," Newmark said. "This contest can find and share exciting new ways to help fact-checkers spread the truth."
About ICFJ
To meet the urgent need for reliable information, ICFJ promotes a professional journalism whose primary goal is to seek the truth. We help journalists use best practices and new technologies to improve the quality of news media. Above all, we empower them to serve their communities by producing trustworthy coverage in these unsettled times.
We believe that better journalism leads to better lives.
About the Craig Newmark Foundation
Based in San Francisco, the Craig Newmark Foundation is a private foundation created by craigslist founder Craig Newmark to support and connect non-profit communities and drive powerful civic engagement