Fact Check

What Kind of Stories Do We Cover?

The fact-checking team at Report for Nepal is always on the lookout for any news/social media posts where false information has been shared as a fact or correct information is being shared as incorrect.

3. A few examples of posts we take up are: We verify claims made by politicians and people in important government positions in Nepal.
4. Information being shared against or in favor of political parties/leaders appears untrue. Posts by Facebook pages and Twitter handles spread hatred using fake information. Messages from our readers, who mail us anything that looks suspicious.Scams and rumors can cause fear or panic among people.
5. Misinformation on health or even related to business/economy.

Where Do We Get Our News From?

Anywhere and everywhere! From Twitter threads to Prime Time debates, we have many sources. We use social media, messaging platforms, and mainstream print and audio-visual media to get our stories. Some of the most prominent sources are Twitter, profiles of trolls and politicians, and trending hashtags. We are also active on Facebook and Twitter, from which we get many of our stories. 

How Do We Bust Fake News?

On finding something suspicious, we 

1. Use tools such as Google and Reverse Image Search, InVid Fake News Debunker, and Photograph Exif Tools, among others. 
2. Search the internet using various search filters (date, time, etc.) to arrive at the origin of posts and messages circulating on the internet. 
3. We contact people who could have links to a particular event, from a common man to a person in authority. 
4. Consult experts in particular fields related to the story to verify the claims, such as doctors for a fact check on health issues. Conclusions are also written based on their findings and recommendations. 

How Do We Explain Our Stories? 

The team explains the story in the following format: 

1. current situation, which led to the spreading of fake news 
2. A description of the fake news with claims 
3. The main sources of the fake news with a description 
4. How many engagements, likes and shares from different social media platforms 
5. Prominent personalities who share these stories, along with their comments, if any 
6. Which tools have been used to check the story? 
7. What is the original content, and how is it different from the viral post?
8. Expert opinions and comments from relevant people, such as people involved as well as people in authority, depending on the story. 
9. Conclusion After all, we need to know under what circumstances such misleading posts being circulated and why it is being done, so that we can be aware of other similar posts and not be misled or misinformed. 

What After The Story Is Published? 

In case there are any changes to be made with respect to developments, the team makes sure to update the story with the relevant information, along with the previous claims. An apology could also be issued in the event of any mistake. Sourcing of Information Depending on the fake information we are fact-checking, the source depends on that. For example, for a story that requires only a Google search and has multiple sources to verify, we use credible media to support the information. For data stories, especially claims made by political leaders or parties, we check government websites or surveys done by reputed agencies, think tanks, or research groups. For fact-check on health claims, we reach out to experts. 

Non-Partisanship Policy 

As a digital media platform, Report for Nepal  strives to achieve the highest standard of journalism. In pursuance of the same standard, Report for Nepal has a clear policy to not accept donations, investments, or grants from a political party or any individual leader representing a political party.  

Transparency of Funding 

We are currently bootstrapped and generate revenue through online ads and sponsored articles. But we ensure that these articles are not at the expense of your reading experience.

The Report for Nepal fact-check team takes all efforts to ensure that any information that goes live is verified. We endeavour to be promptly responsive in correcting errors in the material published on our platform. When we run a correction or clarification on our social media handles or share an editor’s note, our goal is to tell readers, as clearly and quickly as possible, what was wrong and what is correct. Anyone should be able to understand how and why a mistake has been corrected. 

Updating a Report 

We make it a practice to put notes on stories if a story has been updated. It is important for us to use a correction or clarification to inform readers whenever we correct a significant mistake or edit a story to include comments, updates from a stakeholder.

Corrections 

If we are substantively correcting an article, photo caption, headline, graphic, video, or other material, we promptly publish a correction explaining the need for the said change. For any factual error in our fact-check article, as it comes to our notice, we do a revised article with a new conclusion, explain the correction at the top of the article, and distribute it on all the social media platforms where our presence is. 

Clarification 

When our journalism is factually correct but the language we use to explain those facts is not as clear or detailed as it should be, the language is rewritten and a clarification added to the story. A clarification is also used to note if we initially failed to seek a comment or response that has since been added to the story. 

Other Corrections Policies 

When an error is found by a reader and posted to the comment stream, our community engagement team can indicate in comments that it has been corrected. When we publish erroneous information on social networks, we correct it on that platform. We retract the incorrect information if we cannot alter it. 

Owership and Funding 

Entity

Report for Nepal Private Limited (hereinafter referred to as “Report for Nepal” / “We” / “Us” / “Our”) is deeply committed to transparency in all its affairs. 

Through this Ownership and Funding Disclosure, We would like to inform you about Our ownership structure and funding sources. 

Entity Report for Nepal, a company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013, was founded in 2021 by Darshan Parajuli as part of an entrepreneur journalism project at the Asian College of Journalism. Our registered office is in Lalitpur, Nepal.