If you’re a journalist, academic, or aspiring fact-checker in Pakistan, we have got some great news for you. Meta previously popular by the name of Facebook has teamed up with the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at the non-profit Poynter Institute to create an awesome fact-checking course for you all, and the best part is that it’s absolutely free.
The course is made up of three modules, each one focusing on different aspects of fact-checking. From finding fact-checkable claims to verifying information and debunking fake news, this course has got it all covered. There’s even a special section on health misinformation and disinformation, which is especially relevant nowadays since Covid never completely leaves.
Moreover, this course is designed to be self-paced, meaning you can take your time and work through it at your own speed. And what’s even better is that the course is currently available in a whopping 15 languages, including English and Urdu, so you can choose the language that suits you best and you are comfortable in. So everything is very much customizable and to your ease. This means that even if you’re new to the fact-checking world you won’t have much difficulty catching up.
According to Aya Lowe, who is the Integrity Partnerships Manager for the Asia Pacific region at Meta, fact-checking is very important to them to tackle misinformation. She believes that providing courses like this to upskill people in Pakistan is extremely important as it will help in the development and enhancement of the entire system. Men, women, boys and girls, everyone can benefit from this.