Fareq is a Syrian fact checking platform in arabic.
Fareq is a verified signatory of The Arab Network for Fact-Checkers (AFCN) from ARIJ and Arabi Facts Hub (AFH).
Fareq experts’ commitment

Our vision:

At Fareq, we believe in the importance of reliable journalism and correct information in building a better society and enhancing public awareness. Our vision is to provide an electronic platform based on the principle of transparency and accuracy, which strives to verify news, photos and videos circulated online, expose misleading news and false claims, and correct media errors, with the aim of providing reliable sources to the public.
Independence is a principle that cannot be waived, and therefore we reject any conditional funding. We also do not accept funding from any political or military party, and we refuse to receive any funding from all parties and entities inside Syria.
The platform also works to monitor and publish violations against journalists and press institutions in Syria, without distinction between one region and another, by any party.
Our methodology:

Monitoring:

The specialised monitoring team works to monitor and search for rumours across all social media platforms, including the messages we receive via email. It also monitors violations against journalists.

– Classification and sources:
The information that is monitored is transferred to the classification process and then to the research team to be transformed into materials that the team works on in an integrated manner to verify its credibility and the extent of the degree of misleading in it, after classifying it within the classifications that the platform adopts in its work, which makes it easier for the research team to access accurate information.
The information that is monitored is classified to make it easier for the research team to find accurate information The research team works to verify the credibility of the information, whether it contains misleading material and, if so, to what extent.
We use different verification methods according to the nature of the materials. The team also has a special communication method for communicating with specialists, whether the topic is political, social, religious, or health. The team also returns to this method when dealing with information that comes from institutions or official bodies in order to obtain an official statement about the information being searched for.

The Technical Research Department also searches images and video clips whose accuracy requires verifying, using reverse search technology or through the use of some search tools such as tineye, yandex, bing, and InVid.

Text formulation:

The outcome of the information and results found by the team goes through a drafting process, in order to deliver the correct information to the public smoothly and clearly, making it easier for the reader to understand it.

Visual design:

After completing all the previous steps, the screenshots of the rumours collected by the team are sent to the platform’s designer, who collects them and arranges them within the platform’s approved template, with the addition of the classification stamp and the platform’s logo.

– Publication and feedback:
The team in charge of the website and social media publishes Fareq’s verified text along with the platform’s design across Fareq platforms, such as Facebook and X (Twitter). Comments from the public are followed up, reviewed and responded to, in addition to the enquiries and notes that arrive via messages from the public, which the team studies and benefits from.
In addition to fact checking, the team publishes investigated violations against journalists and press institutions and also publishes periodic reports.

Categories guide:

– Misleading: when the basic idea is incorrect and has been used with the intention to mislead..

– False: when information or a story is published for the purpose of misleading or deceiving and is inaccurate or partially or completely fabricated.

– Incorrect: when the material is outdated or incorrectly linked to the event.

Fabricated News:

Fabricated statement: when a statement is fabricated and circulated as if it was issued by a person, institution, or entity.

Fake news: when news is published that is completely incorrect.

Selective: when material aims to show the positive side and hide the negative, or hides part of the truth, with the aim of manipulating the audience.

Inaccurate: when material contains inaccurate numbers, descriptions, or rankings.

We adhere to the principles and standards of the Arab Network for Fact-Checkers (AFCN) and the values of the Arabi Facts Hub (AFH).

Correction policy on the Fareq platform:

At Fareq, we are committed to the highest levels of professionalism and accuracy, in accordance with our approved methodology. If we make any error:

First, correction of misinformation. We offer a correction to the misinformation that has been spread, with a clear and sincere apology.

Second, when new information is added to support the verification process or a new source is included, this will be indicated at the beginning of the report in the following format: “New information was added at the hour (add time) on (add date).”
Third, correction of linguistic and spelling errors. If any linguistic or spelling errors are discovered by the editorial team on the Fareq platform, or if comments are received from the public regarding these errors, they will be corrected and modified without the need for notice, provided that these errors do not affect the accuracy of the information provided.

We ask the public if they see any error on our website and our social media to:

– Contact the platform directly through the means of communication announced on our website or our official accounts on social media platforms.

– Then clarify the nature of the error and provide the correct information and evidence to support its accuracy.

– Once an error is reported, it will be investigated using information provided by the reader and other available sources and feasible for this purpose.

– If an error is confirmed, we will correct it as soon as possible. The correction will also be clearly and appropriately stated within the published material that contained the error, along with an apology to the public.