International Fact-Checking Network
IFCN rejects the attempt to portray fact-checking as a security threat and warns of rising global repression
The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at the Poynter Institute strongly opposes the Trump administration’s recent decision to deny U.S. visas to European public officials and civil society leaders. This action, which includes the blacklisting of individuals for their professional contributions to information integrity, represents a disturbing departure from historic principles of free expression. These bans punish public servants and researchers and are antithetical to democratic values. These officials are being personally targeted for civic participation under laws passed by their own democratic governments, including the European Union’s Digital Services Act. The work of these professionals ranges from exposing coordinated lies to defending the public’s right to reliable information. It is not censorship. The ban on the visas is, in fact, censorship.
The IFCN stands in unambiguous opposition to the classification of fact-checkers, researchers, and trust and safety professionals as national security threats. Such characterizations are the tools of authoritarian regimes to suppress independent media. The pursuit of accuracy is not a hostile act; it is a vital service to the public record.
The IFCN remains committed to the protection of our global fact-checking community. We are moving forward with a formal assessment of how these policies impact the ability of fact-checking journalists to operate without fear of political retaliation. Furthermore, we will expand our resources to provide legal and safety support for fact-checkers who face harassment or unwarranted scrutiny due to their commitment to the truth.
We call for an immediate reversal of these targeted restrictions. A commitment to free expression must include the protection of those who work to ensure that public discourse is free of censorship and welcomes the value of facts, transparency, and the rule of law.
PressOne.PH News and Information Service is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network.
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