MANILA, Philippines – Signatories of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) issued on Wednesday, June 26, a statement calling for an end to attacks on fact checkers as part of the Global Fact 11 conference in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Sarajevo statement, signed by 130 fact-checking organization from 80 countries, addresses growing concerns over escalating attacks on fact checkers and the fact-checking community globally.

“The IFCN and its member fact-checking organizations drafted the Sarajevo statement as a response to ongoing attacks and to affirm that fact-checking is an act of free expression that seeks to give the public accurate information and improve information ecosystems,” Angie Drobnic Holan, IFCN director, said in a press release published alongside the Sarajevo statement.

Escalating attacks

The Sarajevo statement highlighted attacks against fact-checkers worldwide, which have led to “verbal abuse, doxxing, coordinated attacks, legal threats, political pressure, and even physical violence.”

Holan highlighted in her press release the incidents in the countries of Georgia, the United States, and Brazil.

Repeated attacks against Rappler and its founder, Nobel Peace Laureate Maria Ressa, were also highlighted in the statement. Ressa is a keynote speaker at the Global Fact 11.

Rappler has been a verified signatory of the IFCN’s Code of Principles since 2017, and is one of four signatories in the Philippines, along with Vera Files, PressOne.PH, and MindaNews.

Growing challenges

In the Sarajevo statement, fact checkers also addressed challenges that they are facing, such as how tech platforms curate and moderate public posts.

“While some information may be removed if it causes actual harm, a false claim should not be removed solely because it is false. Instead, the public should be provided with the appropriate context and verification in order to determine the claims’ veracity. At the same time, false claims should not be rewarded with popularity or virality,” the statement said.

The statement also acknowledged the arrival of artificial intelligence tools and their potential to spread disinformation, stressing the “need for accuracy is more important than ever.” – Rappler.com