Monday, November 11, 2024

Our Principles

At Mashinani Check, adheres to several core principles to ensure the integrity and reliability of its content. Fact-checkers meticulously research claims from all perspectives, presenting their findings objectively without political or commercial bias. This code of principles is the result of broad consultations between Mashinani Check and other non-partisan fact-checkers from around the world. Ultimately, the aim is to have a positive impact on public discourse by providing accurate, accessible information that empowers informed decision-making. Non-partisanship holds paramount importance in our work, a topic frequently discussed in our meetings. Team members receive regular reminders to exercise caution in their social media communications, and we unequivocally refrain from supporting any political party.

The commitments that Mashinani Check abide by are:

  1. A commitment to Non-partisanship and Fairness – Mashinani Check fact-check claims using the same standard for every fact check. We do not concentrate our fact-checking on any one side. We follow the same process for every fact-check and let the evidence dictate the conclusions. Mashinani Check does not advocate or take policy positions on the issues we fact-check. We do not concentrate fact-checking on any one side.
  2. A commitment to Transparency of Sources – Mashinani Check wants our readers to be able to verify findings themselves. We provide all sources in enough detail that readers can replicate our work, except in cases where a source’s personal security could be compromised. In such cases, we provide as much detail as possible.
  3. A commitment to Transparency of Funding & Organization – Mashinani Check is transparent about our funding sources. If we accept funding from other organisations, we ensure that funders have no influence over the conclusions we reach in our reports. Mashinani Check details the professional background of all key figures in the organisation and explains the organisational structure and legal status. We clearly indicate a way for readers to communicate with us.
  4. A commitment to Transparency of Methodology – Mashinani Check explains the methodology we use to select, research, write, edit, publish and correct our fact checks. We encourage our readers to send us claims to fact-check and are transparent on why and how we fact-check.
  5. A commitment to an Open & Honest Corrections Policy – Mashinani Check publishes our corrections policy and follows it scrupulously. We correct clearly and transparently in line with the corrections policy, seeking so far as possible to ensure that readers see the corrected version.