IMAGE: Namibia Fact Check
Reducing the number of fact check ratings makes them clearer and brings us in line with standard fact checking practice
Namibia Fact Check is in a months-long exercise of reviewing its editorial processes and practices in order to update them.
Throughout this period, Namibia Fact Check is being advised and guided by Africa’s premier and oldest fact checking platform, Africa Check.
The review and updating of our ratings forms part of an effort to simplify and clarify our methodology, in order for us to comply with International Fact Checking Network (IFCN) principles concerning fact checking process clarity and transparency.
As from 1 May 2024, Namibia Fact Check will use the following ratings or verdicts on its fact check reports:
- TRUE – Based on the evidence and/or best available data / information the statements or claims assessed in this article are true.
- FALSE – Based on the evidence and/or best available data / information the statements or claims assessed in this article are false.
- MOSTLY TRUE – Based on the evidence and/or best available data / information the statements or claims assessed in this article are mostly true.
- NO DATA – No data could be found or accessed to establish the accuracy of the statements or claims assessed in this article.
- UNPROVEN – The statements, information and/or claims referenced in this article have been assessed and could not be proved.
- EXAGGERATED – The statements, information and/or claims referenced in this article have been assessed and found to be overstated.
- MISLEADING – The information or data in the statements or claims assessed in this article was used out of context or to misrepresent the facts.
We previously also had MOSTLY FALSE and WHAT!? ratings, but decided to do away with them as they duplicated what other ratings, specifically MISLEADING and EXAGGERATED, were expressing.
The graphics that we will be using from now on to illustrate the ratings are the following:
Part of this updating exercise includes upgrading our website to introduce new sections, such as a Corrections Policy page and an Our Methodology page (which is still under development, but will be done soon). Other changes will follow over coming weeks or months, but we’ll issue a notification once these changes have been completed.