Specific Issues for Discussion:
The session will discuss how an Asia-Pacific regional coalition can tackle existing and emerging challenges in information disorder and fact-checking endeavors. Fact-checking stands as a strategic solution in countering the widespread dissemination of misinformation and disinformation, with 424 active fact-checking websites globally (The Duke Reporter’s Lab, 2016). Various entities engage in fact-checking, ranging from independent organizations, news media, universities to government actors, forming diverse coalitions for ongoing collaboration.
A policy brief will be presented in the session to serve as a focal point for discussion. This brief outlines ongoing challenges in fact-checking efforts within the Asia-Pacific region and evaluates how a regional coalition could address these issues. The session will explore the viability, as well as usefulness and purpose of establishing a regional fact-checking coalition to effectively counter disinformation within the Asia-Pacific region. The discussion session will especially serve as a platform for diverse stakeholders to deliberate and identify key principles fundamental to fact-checking efforts. This process will establish a shared understanding among fact-checkers in the region, a primary function of a regional coalition. These principles may include, but are not limited to, transparency, accountability, balancing between speed and accuracy, independence, and impartiality.
Furthermore, discussions will center on how such a coalition could confront the evolving strategies of disinformation, address disparities in fact-checking skills among practitioners, and navigate the increasingly lucrative and robust business models behind industrialized disinformation. Additionally, the brief and ensuing discussions will acknowledge that while a regional coalition holds promise, it may not offer a panacea to all challenges faced in this domain. After the session, follow-up discussions among interested participants will be held.
