Abstract
Abstract This study examines the news selection processes followed by fact-checking organizations in the Middle East, specifically Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates, and gatekeeping such organizations face while working under authoritarian rule. By reviewing fact-checked news posted on the Facebook pages of six Arabic language organizations: Da Begad, HereszTruth, Fatabyyano, Matsad2sh, MisbarFC, and Saheeh Masr, this study manually analyzes about 5,000 fact-checked news stories to understand the extent of political fact-checking performed on Arab presidents, heads of government, and rulers, along with the most verified news topics. Results show that organizations in the Middle East rarely fact-check Arab rulers or refute their claims, while their news selection process prioritizes human interest topics. The study suggests that Arab fact-checkers resort to self-censorship due to gatekeeping influences that impact the region’s media climate.
Highlights
At a 2014 Global Summit for fact-checking, an Egyptian activist described the beginning of one of the first fact-checking initiatives in the region, a promise tracker called MorsiMeter to review the first 100 days in office of Egypt’s former president Mohamed Morsi
This study examines the work of fact-checking organizations in the Arab region, reviewing the effects of self-censorship and gatekeeping influences on their news selection process
Through a content analysis of Facebook posts published by these organizations and using news values theory, general similarities in methodology between fact-checking organizations in the Middle East and their more counterparts in the U.S can be noted
Summary
At a 2014 Global Summit for fact-checking, an Egyptian activist described the beginning of one of the first fact-checking initiatives in the region, a promise tracker called MorsiMeter to review the first 100 days in office of Egypt’s former president Mohamed Morsi. Shaped by the global fact-checking movement, several dedicated fact-checking organizations in different parts of the Middle East emerged since the short independent MorsiMeter. One can assume fact-checking in the Middle East will be influenced by the region’s politics and culture, and will be different compared to counterparts in the U.S
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