FactWatch Completes Fourth Workshop on the Basics of Fact-Checking
A hands-on training program entitled "Fact-Checking Basics: A Beginner's Workshop on Combating Misinformation" was developed by FactWatch with the goal of equipping young students and journalists with the fundamentals of fact-checking. The training program, funded by the Asia Foundation, consists of six sessions led by the FactWatch team. The fourth workshop in this series was held in the ULAB Research Building in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, on November 24, 2022.
This all-day program was separated into four modules that were created to give students and journalists a fundamental grasp of the pattern of disinformation and fact-checking in digital cyberspace. Participants in this interactive program received first-hand instruction from highly knowledgeable professionals in media and information literacy as well as qualified fact-checkers.
The workshop modules covered the pervasiveness of false information in social media today and how a fact-checker may use the best available resources to stop it from spreading and guarantee a safer, rumor-free internet. Prof. Sumon Rahman, Nasrin Jabin, Shuvashish Das Ray Dip, and Rahul Roy, all seasoned members of the FactWatch team, led the modules.
As a result of the participants' active participation in the modules and open sharing of their thoughts, ideas, and concerns, a beneficial learning experience based on numerous real-world examples was made possible. The program gave participants the chance to network with both experienced journalists and interested fact-checkers, in addition to offering an integrated learning environment for capacity growth and skill development.
There are at least two more seminars in this series scheduled for the forthcoming months, with the following event taking place in December. In the upcoming months and over the entirety of this workshop series, FactWatch hopes to equip and educate aspiring young fact-checkers with the knowledge and skills necessary to counter disinformation while giving them a platform to connect and create a network of professional connections.
