MUMBAI: ‘WebQoof’, the fact-checking arm of The Quint, was granted signatory status for the Poynter Institute's International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) code of principles, on Tuesday, 29 January 2019. This development signifies the considerable progress made in the fight against misinformation and fake news. Widely recognised as an authoritative body in the domain, fact-checkers all across the globe adhere to the “code of principles” provided by the IFCN, in order to promote transparent and unbiased fact-checking.

Launched in May 2017, WebQoof utilises multiple sources, ranging from in-house technology to on-ground reportage, to verify and legitimise information.

Speaking about the certification, The Quint founder and CEO Ritu Kapur said, “Disinformation is among the biggest malaise of our times, and The Quint is invested not just in debunking false news, but also in putting out verified facts before its readers.  Our readers have partnered with us in this initiative by sharing suspicious content with us for fact-checking. The IFCN accreditation underlines the credibility of The Quint’s fact-checking initiative – Webqoof – and will help us build further on this work.”

The code of principles formulated by IFCN was drafted on the basis of collaborative discussions with fact-checkers from all around the world, and serves as a set of fundamental guidelines for all conscientious practitioners to follow. These entail a commitment to non-partisanship and fairness, transparency of sources, transparency of funding and organisation, transparency of mthodology, and an open and honest corrections policy.