The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) has called for unity, innovation, and resilience as the fact-checking community faces unprecedented global challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
IFCN Director Angie Holan made this call at the opening of Global Fact 12, a gathering of fact-checkers worldwide currently being held in Rio, Brazil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Director stated that the challenges facing the community include disinformation, disruption by Artificial Intelligence, funding, and the weaponization of free speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Angie\u2019s keynote address set a sober yet well-determined tone for the world\u2019s largest gathering of fact-checkers hosted at Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Getulio Vargas in Rio de Janeiro. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking to attendees from across the globe, Angie warned of a growing “culture of division and distraction” that has transformed political discourse into a battleground, amplified by the unchecked power of social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur political life no longer feels like a conversation among friends with different opinions,\u201d Holan said. \u201cIt has become a contested battle between enemies seeking total victory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She cited countries such as Brazil, the United States, the Philippines, South Korea, Serbia, and Georgia as examples of places where divisive propaganda has proliferated, demonstrating that no nation is immune to the toxic effects of disinformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Free Speech Misused to Undermine Fact-Checkers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Angie raised concerns over how populist figures and governments have manipulated the principle of free speech to discredit fact-checkers, branding them as censors. She argued that this has emboldened technology platforms to retreat from their duty to moderate false information, leaving individual users to sift through lies and conspiracy theories unassisted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSuch expectations are not only unrealistic but cruel,\u201d she said. \u201cThey do nothing to create an informed public capable of making sound decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Angie reaffirms IFCN\u2019s commitment to freedom of expression, referencing a statement issued at last year\u2019s Global Fact summit in Sarajevo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She stressed that fact-checking is not about erasing or censoring speech but about providing evidence that clarifies and informs public debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Artificial Intelligence: Double-Edged Sword<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n She also addressed AI’s growing influence on the information ecosystem while acknowledging the usefulness of AI tools, including those she uses herself. She did not mince words about their possibility and potential for harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese tools hallucinate a pleasant way of saying they make things up,\u201d she noted. \u201cIf they were human beings, we would say they lie.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She warned that spreading false claims will only accelerate without collaboration between AI companies and fact-checkers. Angie further called for meaningful partnerships that include fair compensation for the work fact-checkers do to uphold information integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Fight for Resources and Relevance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Amid technological and political challenges, Angie also spotlighted a growing financial crisis facing journalism and fact-checking. The collapse of traditional advertising models and tech companies retreating from partnerships has left many fact-checkers under-resourced. She cited the recent termination of USAID funding for fact-checking in Eastern Europe and Africa as a worrying sign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCompanies may ignore complaints from ordinary people,\u201d Angie said, \u201cbut they will quickly correct actions when faced with news storms or lawsuits. Yet journalism faces new pressures.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She urged philanthropists, individuals, and institutions to support sustainable, independent journalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While concluding her keynote address, Angie shared a personal story about her father, who was born in post-World War II Yugoslavia and raised in Venezuela after being denied entry to the United States. She said his experiences with authoritarianism and his belief in democracy shaped her worldview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy father warned me of governments seeking power over vulnerable individuals,\u201d she said. \u201cDemocracy was the answer, a system of checks and balances frustrating human passion and human greed for the benefit of all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She acknowledged public distrust in institutions and journalists but insisted that this is precisely when fact-checkers must evolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAre we lecturing our audience, \u201cor are we in dialogue? Are we writing obligatory stories, or seeking compelling narratives that spark engagement?\u201d These are questions we need to answer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe future of fact-checking rests on our ability to evolve methods while holding firm to our values. We must make the truth compelling and accessible. The work ahead will be difficult, but it is vital. And in that work, truth alone triumphs,\u201d Angie concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) has called for unity, innovation, and resilience as the fact-checking community faces unprecedented global challenges. IFCN Director Angie Holan made this call at the opening of Global Fact 12, a gathering of fact-checkers worldwide currently being held in Rio, Brazil. The Director stated that the challenges facing the community include disinformation, disruption by Artificial Intelligence, funding, and the weaponization of free speech. Angie\u2019s keynote address set a sober yet well-determined tone for the world\u2019s largest gathering of fact-checkers hosted at Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Getulio Vargas in Rio de Janeiro. Speaking to attendees from across the globe, Angie warned of a growing “culture of division and distraction” that has transformed political discourse into a battleground, amplified by the unchecked power of social media. \u201cOur political life no longer feels like a conversation among friends with different opinions,\u201d Holan said. \u201cIt has become a contested battle between enemies seeking total victory.\u201d She cited countries such as Brazil, the United States, the Philippines, South Korea, Serbia, and Georgia as examples of places where divisive propaganda has proliferated, demonstrating that no nation is immune to the toxic effects of disinformation. Free Speech Misused to Undermine Fact-Checkers Angie raised concerns over how populist figures and governments have manipulated the principle of free speech to discredit fact-checkers, branding them as censors. She argued that this has emboldened technology platforms to retreat from their duty to moderate false information, leaving individual users to sift through lies and conspiracy theories unassisted. \u201cSuch expectations are not only unrealistic but cruel,\u201d she said. \u201cThey do nothing to create an informed public capable of making sound decisions.\u201d Angie reaffirms IFCN\u2019s commitment to freedom of expression, referencing a statement issued at last year\u2019s Global Fact summit in Sarajevo. She stressed that fact-checking is not about erasing or censoring speech but about providing evidence that clarifies and informs public debate. Artificial Intelligence: Double-Edged Sword She also addressed AI’s growing influence on the information ecosystem while acknowledging the usefulness of AI tools, including those she uses herself. She did not mince words about their possibility and potential for harm. \u201cThese tools hallucinate a pleasant way of saying they make things up,\u201d she noted. \u201cIf they were human beings, we would say they lie.\u201d She warned that spreading false claims will only accelerate without collaboration between AI companies and fact-checkers. Angie further called for meaningful partnerships that include fair compensation for the work fact-checkers do to uphold information integrity. A Fight for Resources and Relevance Amid technological and political challenges, Angie also spotlighted a growing financial crisis facing journalism and fact-checking. The collapse of traditional advertising models and tech companies retreating from partnerships has left many fact-checkers under-resourced. She cited the recent termination of USAID funding for fact-checking in Eastern Europe and Africa as a worrying sign. \u201cCompanies may ignore complaints from ordinary people,\u201d Angie said, \u201cbut they will quickly correct actions when faced with news storms or lawsuits. Yet journalism faces new pressures.\u201d She urged philanthropists, individuals, and institutions to support sustainable, independent journalism. While concluding her keynote address, Angie shared a personal story about her father, who was born in post-World War II Yugoslavia and raised in Venezuela after being denied entry to the United States. She said his experiences with authoritarianism and his belief in democracy shaped her worldview. \u201cMy father warned me of governments seeking power over vulnerable individuals,\u201d she said. \u201cDemocracy was the answer, a system of checks and balances frustrating human passion and human greed for the benefit of all.\u201d She acknowledged public distrust in institutions and journalists but insisted that this is precisely when fact-checkers must evolve. \u201cAre we lecturing our audience, \u201cor are we in dialogue? Are we writing obligatory stories, or seeking compelling narratives that spark engagement?\u201d These are questions we need to answer. \u201cThe future of fact-checking rests on our ability to evolve methods while holding firm to our values. We must make the truth compelling and accessible. The work ahead will be difficult, but it is vital. And in that work, truth alone triumphs,\u201d Angie concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23336,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"hannibal_claim_source":"","hannibal_source_label":"","hannibal_card_color":"blue","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_bluesky_share_type":"","_mastodon_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[1688,1571,3812,3815],"tags":[],"verdict":[],"ppma_author":[872],"class_list":["post-23335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-fact-check","category-headline","category-homepage"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8R6dE-64n","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":872,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"temilade-david","display_name":"Temilade Onilede","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1d6f9f25c4a1105f1461a19d25d8fa7128cd9c2b7e635218f3771f1e74c82f8c?s=96&r=g","author_category":"","user_url":"","last_name":"","first_name":"","job_title":"","description":"Temilade Onilede is a researcher and the Programme Assistant for Dubawa, Nigeria. She holds an undergraduate degree in Performing Arts From the University of Ilorin, Ilorin Kwara State.\r\nShe is a trained journalist, with good research and writing skills, coupled with her knowledge in Journalism; a personable character and an engaging mind who is well skilled in the field of fact-checking and verification."}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Global-Fact.jpg?fit=1600%2C1200&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23335"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23335\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23337,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23335\/revisions\/23337"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23335"},{"taxonomy":"verdict","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/verdict?post=23335"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=23335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}