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Code of Conduct

The FactCheckNI Code of Conduct sets out the main principles of the fact checking service that we provide. All FactCheckNI personnel must read and abide by this Code of Conduct.

They commit to:

  1. Upholding the principle of the freedom of the press, the freedom of expression, and the right to inform the public
  2. Setting their own opinions aside as they work to uphold principles of independence and fairness
  3. Avoiding the public expression of political opinion, engaging in political or policy advocacy and public involvement in the political process – including, but not limited to, party political membership and social media
  4. Ensuring that information is accurate, with only publicly available sources (unless this is not practical or possible, with any exceptions to be explained by the Editor)
  5. Publishing source links thoroughly and wherever possible
  6. Correcting any inaccuracies with transparency and in accordance to organisational policy
  7. Using evidence when validating or refuting a specific claim, without conjecture or opinion
  8. Using his/her true identity in all dealings inside and outside the organisation when working on assignments, but under organisational policy no bylines or other means of identifying authorship will be made; a public biography will be published on the organisation’s website but not linked to an individual’s articles
  9. When republishing links to published FactCheckNI articles and other organisational news, but without attributing individual authorship
  10. Obtaining source information by honest, straightforward, and open means, without exception
  11. Checking sources and appreciates that others’ material may not have been produced to exacting standards of accuracy
  12. Obtaining permission from copyright holders for all relevant content, whether pictures, text, or other media
  13. Rejecting any inducement to suppress or filter information of material significance in researching a claim
  14. Declaring to the Managing Director any real or potential conflict of interest, before or in the course of undertaking any assignment
  15. Not making political contributions or working on campaigns.
  16. In the case of our researchers, they must commit to informing the Managing Director and/or Editor of outside engagement and duties of possible concern, e.g. giving evidence in court, participating at public seminars or the like (whether as chair, speaker, or panelist), employment that could conflict with writing/research duties, membership or public association of a political party or social cause/movement, familial or other close personal or financial relationship in the scope of any assignment; none may disqualify, but non-disclosure is not defensible. Those declaring such interests will not be assigned work by the organisation.
  17. Avoid doing anything that compromises FactCheckNI, or our ability to do our work with independence and fairness.

END OF POLICY

Last updated: 12 September 2024