Which fact‑checking organizations are certified by the International Fact‑Checking Network (IFCN)?
Executive summary
The International Fact‑Checking Network (IFCN) at the Poynter Institute accredits and lists fact‑checking organizations that agree to its Code of Principles; the network publicly says it reaches more than 170 fact‑checking organizations and maintains a roster of signatories [1] [2]. A definitive, up‑to‑date, complete list of currently certified organizations is maintained by the IFCN on its signatories page and through Poynter; available reporting does not provide a static master list that can be reproduced here with guaranteed currency [3] [1].
1. What “certified by the IFCN” means and how organizations get on the list
The IFCN operates a Code of Principles and subjects applicants to a vetting process — external assessors evaluate commitments to nonpartisanship, transparency of sources, funding and methodology, and corrections — and when an organization meets the standard it becomes a signatory or certified entity [4] [3]. Certification or signatory status is not permanent: the IFCN’s procedures include periodic reviews and, per reporting, certifications are re‑examined annually or organisations reviewed every one to two years depending on the source [2] [5]. That process underpins why the roster is dynamic and why third parties (platforms such as Meta have used IFCN certification to vet partners) rely on IFCN’s current list rather than older compilations [6] [7].
2. Examples of organizations identified in reporting as IFCN signatories
Publicly cited examples of IFCN‑certified or signatory organizations in the reporting include Full Fact (UK), which explicitly states membership of IFCN and of European fact‑checking networks [5] [8]; FactReview in Greece, cited as a member of the IFCN [2]; Fatabyyano, identified as the first Arabian platform certified by IFCN [2]; Teyit in Turkey as a signatory to IFCN’s Code [2]; and BOOM (formerly BOOM Live) in India, described as IFCN‑certified [2]. Poynter’s ownership of PolitiFact and the IFCN’s association with Poynter are also noted in reporting, linking well‑known fact‑checking outlets to the broader IFCN ecosystem [9].
3. How many organizations are on the IFCN roster — and why counts vary
Reports cite different totals at different times: Poynter/IFCN materials say the network reaches more than 170 organizations worldwide [1], a separate source noted IFCN listed 170 organizations as of July 2024 [2], while the Duke Reporters’ Lab has previously referenced counts such as 109 signatories in other contexts [10]. These discrepancies reflect timing, the difference between “reach” and formally verified signatories, and the rolling nature of audits and renewals — all reasons a snapshot number can be misleading if not time‑stamped [1] [10].
4. Where to find the authoritative, current list and why that matters
Because the IFCN’s certifications are renewed and reviewed, the most authoritative source for “which organizations are currently certified” is the IFCN signatories page hosted by Poynter and the IFCN’s own communications, which list signatories and describe the assessment process [3] [1]. Platform transparency pages (such as Meta’s) also reference IFCN certification when describing which third‑party fact‑checkers they partner with, underscoring the practical importance of the IFCN’s live roster for content moderation and platform partnerships [6] [11].
5. Limits of available reporting and practical guidance
Public reporting and secondary databases offer examples and counts but do not provide a single definitive list in the sources supplied here; therefore any attempt to enumerate “all IFCN‑certified organizations” would require consulting the IFCN/Poynter signatories page directly for the current roster [3] [1]. For researchers or platforms seeking to verify whether a specific outlet is IFCN‑certified, the responsible step is to confirm on the IFCN signatories page or the organization’s own published credentials, given the annual/periodic re‑reviews noted by IFCN documentation [4] [2].