FactWatch hosted September session of “Fact-Checking Basics: A Beginner’s Workshop on Combating Misinformation"

FactWatch hosted September session of “Fact-Checking Basics: A Beginner’s Workshop on Combating Misinformation"

Publish Date: 
Tuesday, October 4, 2022

The “Fact-Checking Basics: A Beginner’s Workshop on Combating Misinformation” workshop series is a FactWatch undertaking that builds on the feedback and results of each subsequent training program to improve and enhance the knowledge delivery of one of the nation’s first established fact-checking training workshops.

Funded by the Asia Foundation, this workshop series is designed to empower young students and journalists with basic fact-checking skills and ideologies that are crucial to navigating an increasingly digitized world of information. Following the success of the first workshop in August, the second workshop of this series took place on 29th September 2022 at the ULAB Research Building in Dhanmondi, Dhaka.

The four modules that made up this full-day workshop program were structured to provide participants with a working knowledge of the know-how required for fact-checking information on the internet while ensuring their digital security. The 30 participants who joined the September workshop gained knowledge from both highly knowledgeable specialists in media and information literacy and experienced fact-checkers.

The workshop focused on how misinformation has established itself as a permanent feature of social media today, and how fact-checkers can utilize the most effective tools to combat its spread; and in doing so, promote a safer, rumor-free internet. The modules were facilitated by Prof. Sumon Rahman, Nasrin Jabin, Shuvashish Das Ray Dip, Apon Das, and Rahul Roy, all members of the experienced FactWatch team.

This workshop series will continue with at least four more workshops planned for the upcoming months, with the next program taking place in October. In the coming months and throughout this entire workshop series, FactWatch wishes to empower and engage young fact-checking hopefuls with the knowledge and capability of combating misinformation, while providing them a platform to connect and build a network of industry connections.