VISHVAS NEWS VERIFICATION METHODOLOGY

Vishvas News is committed to following a structured approach in creating its content. 

All articles follow a consistent pattern, starting with the development of the idea, followed by an investigation using in-house editorial procedures and the IFCN Code of Principles. The maker-checker system and quality-check on facts, language, ethics, and conduct are implemented before publication and distribution. 

The integrity of journalistic ethics and the IFCN Code of Principles is maintained throughout the process.

The Vishvas News team of certified and trained fact-checkers follows strict in-house editorial and ethical guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs). These procedures ensure that the news report/claim is thoroughly investigated and verified before it is published.

1. Selecting News/Claim To Verify

The Vishvas News team regularly monitors various forms of media, including social media, for any inaccurate claims or news reports. The team prioritises false claims that are against the public interest and have the potential to impact a large audience. 

The focus is on issues that affect the daily lives of people. We cover a range of topics, from politics, sports, health, and sanitation, to law and order, justice, education, and environment. Employment, innovation, science, and the experiences of socially and ethnically disadvantaged groups are focus areas, too.

In addition to these criteria, the Vishvas News team particularly targets posts related to medical misinformation and bizarre home remedies, as well as provocative content that has the potential to create social unrest. 

The team also seeks to fact-check false but attention-grabbing content commonly referred to as ‘clickbait’, which is often created with the primary aim of getting high traffic. 

By fact-checking such content, the team aims to not only prevent the spread of misinformation but also promote accuracy and trust in information.

As part of the process, we curate a list of claims that require verification. Our senior team members hold daily meetings in the morning to assess the claims selected by our fact-checkers. The following parameters are considered for the selection of the claims we eventually fact-check:

• Nature of the viral claim
• Extent of a viral feed (how many people have liked and shared it)
• Source of the viral post

These posts are selected from various platforms and sources:

• Social media platforms
• Vishvas News Whatsapp Tipline (+91-95992-99372)
• Vishvas News WhatsApp No (+91-92052-70923)
• Reports or claims sent by users by email (contact@vishvasnews.com)
• Reports or claims shared by users on social media platforms through direct messages to verify

2. Probe The News

To verify the reports and debunk any fake claims, we use a mix of technology and traditional journalistic methods.

We employ over 20 tech-based verification tools, including Google Reverse Image Search, Yandex, InVid, Google Maps, Whois and Perma.cc. These tools help us determine the origin of the posts (photos or videos) and verify if the same image or video has been used earlier in similar or different contexts.

To use Google Reverse Image Search or Yandex Search, we snip a portion of context from a photo or video, and perform a search. This helps to identify if the same image has been used previously by comparing it to similar images. For a more precise outcome, the Vishvas News team uses additional tools to determine the origin of the images or text.

At Vishvas News, physical verification is a mandatory step. The team contacts the primary or secondary source, or another credible person such as the beat specialists or bureau reporters of the Jagran network, besides subject-matter experts, to cross-check the claim.

Contacting relevant authorities is another part of the physical verification, besides accessing archives and providing historical references. 

In the article that is finally published, we detail the investigation process and present all supporting evidence. This ensures that the readers, too, can understand the methodology and replicate the fact-check on their own if they intend to. With facts and the method at their disposal, we educate the readers and leave it up to them to form their own conclusions. We do not advocate for any specific stance on the outcomes of our fact-checks.

Broadly, the fact-check article has this structure:

• The headline explains the claim and the fact
• The introductory paragraphs explain the claim and conclusion, in brief,

• The whole process is explained in simple language with screenshots, video embeds (wherever required), and backlinks
• The vocabulary used is simple and to-the-point, with no needless adjectives or opinions added
• The article concludes with statistics and analysis, including more details about who shared the claim, restated for clarity

3. Genres Covered

Vishvas News deals with issues that are in the public domain, including politics, sports, health, sanitation, law and order, the justice system, education, environment, employment, innovation, science, and disadvantaged social and ethnic groups.

4. Maker-Checker System

The Vishvas News team uses this method at the drafting/writing stage, so that each article is thoroughly reviewed by a different fact-checker than the one writing it before being published. The purpose is to ensure that the fact-checker responsible for verifying a claim has no authority to publish the article. Instead, another fact-checker within the team reviews the article and publishes it in accordance with the established SOPs. 

Here are the steps we follow under this system:

1. The claim is investigated and the copy is drafted by the first fact checker – the Maker
2. Once the article is ready, the Maker sends it to another fact-checker in the team to recheck it – the Checker. Their responsibility is to check the draft on all parameters in accordance with the editorial SOPs and the IFCN Code of Principles.
3. If the Checker is not convinced with the process or any input, they send the copy back to the Maker to rework, with suggestions.
4. The Maker reworks the copy as per suggestions and sends it again to the Checker.
5. When the Checker finds that the copy is good to be published, the Maker sends the copy to the Quality Check Manager to check for grammatical, language or syntax errors.
6. After this, the final copy goes to a senior member of the team for the final go-ahead.
7. After their approval, the Checker publishes the copy on the website of Vishvas News.
8. The names of both the Maker and the Checker are displayed at the end of the published article.

5. Publishing The Fact Check

Vishvas News presents its verified information to the public in the form of a story on its website. The proof supporting the findings is provided in the form of screenshots and links, allowing readers to independently verify and discredit false news. Additionally, related fact-checked stories are linked to the main article for reference.

6. Rating

We have three rating options to categorise the fact-checks and depict them with the help of dynamic graphic emoticons.

• False: The primary claim(s) of the content is/are factually inaccurate. This generally corresponds to “false” or “mostly false” ratings.
• Misleading: The claim(s) of the content is/are a mix of accurate and inaccurate, or the primary claim is misleading or incomplete.
• True: The primary claim(s) of the content are factually accurate. This generally corresponds to “true” or “mostly true” ratings.

7. Promotion

Once a story has been published, it is then promoted on Vishvas News social media platforms by the fact-checker.

8. Feedback

We welcome suggestions and rectifications, which we receive from our readers in the form of comments, emails, and phone calls. The feedback can be received through any platform: Social media direct messages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), Vishvas News Whatsapp tipline (+91-95992-99372), WhatsApp (+91-92052-70923), and email (contact@vishvasnews.com). In case we receive any complaint regarding the accuracy of our content, we immediately put it on hold and determine the facts. Once the facts have been thoroughly evaluated, we make a decision and respond appropriately to the feedback. Depending on the authenticity and magnitude of the mistake/error, we remove/edit the published information or duly inform the reader in case the original news does not qualify as a mistake and how we arrived at such a decision.

9. Correction policy

As per the policy, we have stepped up our efforts to combat misinformation by forming a team dedicated to regularly cross-checking and monitoring the content on our website. In case of any appeal on our fact-checked stories, we take note of the details provided, make the correction(s) following our SOP and IFCN guidelines, and also put on record the stories done by the team members that needed corrections. We add the disclaimer at the end of the corrected article. The correction record is also displayed under the biography of the fact-checker.

If users suspect that our actions are in breach of the IFCN Code, they can notify the IFCN too. The link to the complaints page on the IFCN website: https://ifcncodeofprinciples.poynter.org/complaints-policy

As of April 2024, this information remains current and accurate, reflecting the most recent updates and developments in the given context.