The European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN) project has launched an open consultation to gather opinions and insights from academics and researchers on how to develop a European Code of Professional Integrity for fact-checkers and OSINT operations.
Supported by the European Commission, the EFCSN project is led by six European fact-checkers with the aim of defining the standards of independence, transparency and methodological and journalistic quality needed to be recognised as an independent fact-checking or OSINT organisation in Europe.
Eileen Culloty from the Ireland Hub was one of eleven experts consulted for a preliminary report on the proposed code. In her contributions, Eileen noted the need to consider what a European code offers in contrast to the established IFCN code and, recalling experiences with other self-regulatory codes, questioned what measures could be in place to ensure standards are met by signatories. Ultimately, she suggested that the wider value of EFCSN could lie in the provision of collective representation for European fact-checkers and thereby negotiate with platforms for greater data access and services.
The EFCSN Code is expected to be written in the coming months.
