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20 Minutes – Fake Off

Organization: 20 Minutes Fake off
Applicant: Mathilde Cousin
Assessor: Laurent Bigot
Edits made by the organization after this assessment

IFCN Staff wrote:

From the assessor: 

20 Minutes published a methodology that explains to their readers how they choose claims to fact-check and what evidence they deem most reliable. We can find it here :

http://www.20minutes.fr/high-tech/2135311-20170919-comment-reperer-fake-news

20 Minutes also published an explanation about their corrections policy, in the same page as their methodology, here: http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/

So 20 Minutes is now more compliant with criterion 5a and criterion 6a.


Conclusion and recommendations
on 24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

Laurent Bigot wrote:

According to my assessment, I think 20 Minutes could be accepted as a reliable fact-checking partner. This media is now partially or completely compliant with the large majority of the principles enacted by the IFCN.

To resume my assessment, I can tell that 20 Minutes is a non partisan media, popular in France. They launched a fact-checking section in April. So they must demonstrate that their fact-checking work will be carried out rigorously over time.

on 24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

Laurent Bigot recommended Accept


Section 1: Organization

Criterion 1a
Proof of registration
Evidence required: Please provide evidence that the signatory is a legally-registered organization set up exclusively for the purpose of fact-checking or the distinct fact-checking project of a recognized media house or research institution.

20 Minutes Fake off
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

​Fact-cheking are regularly conducted by journalists on breaking news, political debates and rumors spread over the web and social networks. See examples below. Into the bargain, we have hired a full-time journalist, Mathilde Cousin, to conduct Fact-Checking on a daily basis (Working days). The entire newsroom could also product fact-checking

Laurent Bigot Assessor
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

20 Minutes is a legally registered French media outlet.

All the evidence of its legal registration are presented in the “Mentions légales”

through its RCS number and its presentation, here: http://www.20minutes.fr/mentions.php

20 Minutes’ fact-checking section is called “Fake Off” : http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/ 


done_all 1a marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.

Criterion 1b
Archive
Evidence required: Insert a link to the archive of fact checks published in the previous three months. If you do not collect all fact checks in one place, please explain how the fact-checking is conducted by your organization.

20 Minutes Fake off
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

​Our fact-checking are available on a dedicated section in our website http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/. This section is also providing some email contacts, biographies of fact-checking leading team and tips to identify hoax and rumors.

http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/2096887-20170630-extreme-droite-lance-rumeur-complot-musulman-bac 

http://www.20minutes.fr/monde/2095455-20170628-video-reine-angleterre-centre-fausse-nouvelle-droits-lgbtq

http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/2091343-20170621-non-violente-agression-eglise-lieu-france

http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/2082491-20170608-non-celibataires-plus-30-ans-devront-accueillir-migrant

http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/1513339-20150109-attaque-charlie-hebdo-fausses-informations-envahissent-web

http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/1516571-20150113-video-charlie-hebdo-fausses-rumeurs-envahissent-web-suite

http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/1408605-20140623-lyon-non-supporters-algeriens-incendie-eglise

http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/1507391-20141229-trois-seins-faux-tigre-nain-strip-teaseur-retour-cinq-fausses-infos-2014

http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/1890387-20160715-attentat-nice-rumeurs-mauvaises-blagues-polluent-echanges-twitter

http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/1687115-20150915-videomigrants-internet-avalanche-fausses-rumeurs-photomontages

http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/1730407-20151114-video-attentats-paris-rumeurs-hoax-croire

http://www.20minutes.fr/marseille/1962699-20161116-agression-thauvin-joueurs-vraiment-plus-danger-om-ailleurs

http://www.20minutes.fr/politique/2011903-20170210-desintox-emission-politique-marine-pen

http://www.20minutes.fr/high-tech/1983967-20161220-attentat-berlin-nombreuses-intox-circulent-web

Laurent Bigot Assessor
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

20 Minutes publishes reports about the accuracy of claims punctually.

It’s not easy to measure this work, because its specific fact-checking section has been created on July 2017, with only ten articles listed in the section…

Before that, 20 Minutes has published several debunking and fact-checking articles, but they are scattered on its website…


done 1b marked as Partially compliant by Laurent Bigot.

Section 2: Nonpartisanship and Fairness

Criterion 2a
Body of work sample
Evidence required: Please share links to ten fact checks that better represent the scope and consistency of your fact-checking. Provide a short explanation of how your organization strives to maintain coherent standards across fact checks.

20 Minutes Fake off
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

​20 minutes has adopted a chart stipulating firmly its non-partisan and unbiased orientation. We cross sources, meta-datas to fact-check hoaxes and rumors. We're particularly involved in fact-cheking during terrorist attacks, when fear and fake news are spreading on social networks. Our team of Community managers can directly interact with internet users to stop rumours. Our team of moderators (Netino) works on deleting fake pictures and news posted on comments.

http://www.20minutes.fr/medias/8110-20060220-charte-20minutes

Laurent Bigot Assessor
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

20 Minutes selected 12 fact-checks’ links to prove scope and consistency of its work… 10 ,fact-checks are also available on its new fact-checking section : http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/

In several fact-checks, I notice that 20 minutes covers a variety of speakers (Benoît Hamon, François Fillon, Marine Le Pen, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Emmanuel Macron). Here is an example:

http://www.20minutes.fr/elections/presidentielle/2034695-20170321-debat-presidentiel-chaque-candidat-petite-grosse-approximation

The 20 Minutes team explains that “20 minutes has adopted a chart stipulating firmly its non-partisan and unbiased orientation”… We can find it here: http://www.20minutes.fr/medias/8110-20060220-charte-20minutes

So I think there’s no bias problem in this media work.


done_all 2a marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.

Criterion 2b
Nonpartisanship policy
Evidence required: Please share evidence of your policy preventing staff from direct involvement in political parties and advocacy organizations. Please also indicate the policy your organization has as a whole regarding advocacy and supporting political candidates.

20 Minutes Fake off
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

​Same response. Our chart is very clear about political neutrality

http://www.20minutes.fr/medias/8110-20060220-charte-20minutes 

During the presidential race, we do our best to have an equal treatment for each candidate. 

For example: http://www.20minutes.fr/elections/presidentielle/2034695-20170321-debat-presidentiel-chaque-candidat-petite-grosse-approximation 

Laurent Bigot Assessor
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

To explain its policies to preserve its non-partisan way of fact-checking claims, 20 Minutes mentions its code of ethics. It is published here: http://www.20minutes.fr/medias/8110-20060220-charte-20minutes

And it specifies the independence of the journalists and their staff…

According to my assessment, I can tell that 20 Minutes does not seem to support a candidate in any election nor advocate or take policy positions on any issues not strictly related to fact-checking. 


done_all 2b marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.

Section 3: Transparency of Sources

Criterion 3a
Sources Policy
Please share a brief and public explanation (500 words max) of how sources are provided in enough detail that readers could replicate the fact check. If you have a public policy on how you find and use sources for your fact-checking, it should be shared here.

20 Minutes Fake off
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

​We used to embed and link to the sources on our articles. Therefore the readers could easily replicate the fact-checking by simply clicking on sources and embed (officiel twitter account like National Police in case of terrorist attacks etc.). On the "desintox" section of our website, we tried to give a step-by-step fact checking in order to give some keys to the reader to replicate the FC. For example https://www.20minutes.fr/monde/2073595-20170523-video-attentat-manchester-attention-fausses-infos-intox Into the bargain, we have a strict policy on anonymous sources, explained in our chart

http://www.20minutes.fr/medias/8110-20060220-charte-20minutes 

Laurent Bigot Assessor
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

The 20 Minutes’ staff evokes its policy on sources in the IFCN application document:

We used to embed and link to the sources on our articles. Therefore the readers could easily replicate the fact-checking by simply clicking on sources and embed (officiel twitter account like National Police in case of terrorist attacks etc.). On the "desintox" section of our website, we tried to give a step-by-step fact checking in order to give some keys to the reader to replicate the FC. For example https://www.20minutes.fr/monde/2073595-20170523-video-attentat-manchester-attention-fausses-infos-intox. Into the bargain, we have a strict policy on anonymous sources, explained in our chart : http://www.20minutes.fr/medias/8110-20060220-charte-20minutes

Our assessment allows us to say that 20 Minutes links regularly to the sources of the claim they fact-check and the evidence they use to fact-check.


done_all 3a marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.

Section 4: Transparency of Funding & Organization

Criterion 4a
Funding Sources
Evidence required: Please link to the section where you publicly list your sources of funding (including, if they exist, any rules around which types of funding you do or don't accept), or a statement on ownership if you are the branch of an established media organization or research institution.

20 Minutes Fake off
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

​Our chart is also very clear about that (section 2 and 3 in particular) http://www.20minutes.fr/medias/8110-20060220-charte-20minutes

Laurent Bigot Assessor
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

20 Minutes’ ownership is detailed here: http://www.20minutes.fr/mentions.php

This page explains that the main shareholders of 20 Minutes are Sofiouest / Ouest-France and Rossel France Investissement. These shareholders are well known European media players…


done_all 4a marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.

Criterion 4b
Staff
Evidence required: Please link to the section detailing all authors and key actors behind your fact-checking project with their biographies. You can also list the name and bios of the members of the editorial board, pool of experts, advisory board, etc. if your organization has those.

20 Minutes Fake off
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

The fact checking project is lead by Anne Kerloc'h, Social Media Editor and Deputy Editor in Chief. She's in charge of Social Media, Video and participatory journalism team. In the past years She conducted an internal report on participatory journalism and fact checking. Mathilde Cousin, reporter and journalist has been hired on a full-time jobe to dedicate her time to fact-checking on a daily basis.The community managers Adrien Briand, Tristan Lescot and Charlotte Murat are also y involved in the project but all the newsroom of 20 minutes could be part of the process on a case by case basis. Biographies or Anne Kerloc'h and Mathilde Cousin with an email contact are available ont the Desintox Section. http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/ we work on a updated and detailed contact form to submit fact-checking, mispellings, further informations etc.

Laurent Bigot Assessor
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

In the 20 Minutes’ fact-checking section, there’s a place detailing the identity of the two main authors behind the project and their biographies: Anne Kerloc'h, Social Media Editor and Deputy Editor in Chief., and Mathilde Cousin, reporter and journalist, who has just been hired on a full-time fact-checker job.

Their biographies are available here: http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/


done_all 4b marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.

Criterion 4c
Contact
Evidence required: Please link to the section where readers can get in touch with the organization.

20 Minutes Fake off
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

http://www.20minutes.fr/contact  + contribution@20minutes.fr (and chatbot messenger on Facebook page) + contact on Desintox section http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/ 

Laurent Bigot Assessor
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

It’s quite easy for readers to contact 20 Minutes: they can use the page called “contact” (the link is at the bottom of each page: http://www.20minutes.fr/contact) and its contact form.

And there’s a specifi e-mail address to contact the fact-checking team: contribution@20minutes.fr

“+ a chatbot messenger on Facebook page)

All details are explained here: http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/ 


done_all 4c marked as Fully compliant by Laurent Bigot.

Section 5: Transparency of Methodology

Criterion 5a
Detailed Methodology
Evidence required: Please link to a section or article detailing the steps you follow for your fact-checking work.

20 Minutes Fake off
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

​We have send you by mail our guide to fact check images and contributions. For current news, we cross sources, get in touch with organization like Hoaxbusters.

Files Attached
insert_drive_file 5a - 20 Minutes - Di... (287 KB)
Laurent Bigot Assessor
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

20 Minutes published a methodology that explains to their readers how they choose claims to fact-check and what evidence they deem most reliable. We can find it here : http://www.20minutes.fr/high-tech/2135311-20170919-comment-reperer-fake-news

---

20 Minutes has no accessible place on its website where it explains publicly and clearly its methodology to do fact-checking. It provides only an internal guide… and there are some advice on its website to help people to fact-check by themselves…

The staff explains (in the application form): “We would send you by mail our guide to fact check images and contributions. For current news, we cross sources, get in touch with organization like Hoaxbusters.


done 5a marked as Partially compliant by Laurent Bigot.

Criterion 5b
Claim submissions
Evidence required: Please link to the page or process through which readers can submit claims to fact-check. If you do not allow this, please briefly explain why.

20 Minutes Fake off
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

​We have send you by mail our guide to fact check images and contributions. For current news, we cross sources, get in touch with organization like Hoaxbusters.

Laurent Bigot Assessor
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

There’s a link to invite readers to submit claims to fact-check on 20 Minutes web site: http://www.20minutes.fr/contact

But the signatory doesn’t indicate to readers how they can send claims to fact-check while making it clear what readers can legitimately expect will be fact-checked and what isn’t fact-checkable.


done 5b marked as Partially compliant by Laurent Bigot.

Section 6: Open & Honest Corrections Policy

Criterion 6a
Corrections policy
Evidence required: Please link to the page with your policy to address corrections. If it is not public, please share your organization's handbook.

20 Minutes Fake off
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

If we had made some errors in article, an update is published asap on the article, on the top (see example below). http://www.20minutes.fr/high-tech/2067439-20170513-marque-boisson-oasis-prend-serieux-internaute-fait-pirater-nouveau-clip Update are also tweeted and an edit of the post is made if the article has been published on Facebook ​http://www.20minutes.fr/article/8110/La-Charte-20.php (section 2 and 3) 3.10 Si une information erronée a été publiée, elle doit être corrigée le plus vite possible. Si des personnes ont été le sujet de citations critiques, voire d’accusations, elles doivent avoir la possibilité de répondre dans le cadre de l’application du droit de la presse et de sa jurisprudence. D’une façon générale, les informations publiées par 20Minutes ne doivent pas porter atteinte à la vie privée, aux mineurs, mettre en danger la vie d’autrui, être dégradante pour les êtres humains. Les journalistes de 20Minutes sont attentifs au respect des personnes, et dans certaines circonstances, à la souffrance des individus, de leurs familles. L’identité des mineurs est protégée. Les informations techniques qui permettraient de les identifier sont proscrites. La publication de photographies doit faire l’objet d’une attention constante de tous les membres de la rédaction, respecter les mêmes mesures de précaution que celles appliquées pour les textes. Le contenu éditorial des photographies ne doit pas être modifié sauf si ces modifications sont explicitement indiquées dans le cadre d’un montage d’illustration.

Laurent Bigot Assessor
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

20 Minutes also published an explanation about their corrections policy, in the same page as their methodology, here: http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/desintox/

---

20 Minutes has a public corrections policy here: http://www.20minutes.fr/article/8110/La-Charte-20.php

But it only explains that if a information is false, the website has to correct it faster…

(“Si une information erronée a été publiée, elle doit être corrigée le plus vite possible”)

It doesn’t evoke the transparency of the correction.


done 6a marked as Partially compliant by Laurent Bigot.

Criterion 6b
Examples of corrections
Evidence required: Please provide two examples of a correction made, or correction requests handled, in the past year.

20 Minutes Fake off
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

We made an edit of this viral a operation : http://www.20minutes.fr/high-tech/2067439-20170513-marque-boisson-oasis-prend-serieux-internaute-fait-pirater-nouveau-clip​. Edits are made on the top of the article in bold font. We changed a SIPA picture of this article after being warned by some physiotherapist that it could create a misunderstanding. (Physiotherapists never wear jewellery during practices) ​http://www.20minutes.fr/sante/1965879-20161121-forte-hausse-cas-bronchiolite-ile-france-normandie-hauts-france

​Recently, we we're contacted by a pilot for precising details about a incident in an airport, involving Harrison Ford. After some significant back-and-forth information sharing, we made some corrections on articles,

Our site provides some information about the update of an article

http://www.20minutes.fr/people/2014455-20170215-harrison-ford-frole-encore-accident-avion

Laurent Bigot Assessor
24-Sep-2017 (6 years ago)

It seems that 20 Minutes has only one clear example of implementation of its correction and “edit” policy to provide:

We made an edit of this viral a operation: http://www.20minutes.fr/high-tech/2067439-20170513-marque-boisson-oasis-prend-serieux-internaute-fait-pirater-nouveau-clip Edits are made on the top of the article in bold font.


done 6b marked as Partially compliant by Laurent Bigot.