Arab Fact-Checking Network Combats Regional Misinformation

Egypt’s Arabi Facts Hub Leads Fight Against Misinformation in Arab World

In today’s digital landscape, where facts often intermingle with falsehoods, an Egyptian organization has emerged as a frontrunner in the battle against misinformation across the Arab world. Arabi Facts Hub has developed innovative approaches to address the growing challenge of information disorder that plagues journalists, media students, and fact-checkers throughout the region.

The spread of false information has become normalized in the Arab world, embedded in a digital environment shaped by political transformation, humanitarian crises, armed conflicts, and unprecedented social media engagement. Misleading content regularly infiltrates mainstream narratives, whether through coordinated disinformation campaigns or unintentionally inaccurate reporting that rapidly gains traction.

To counter this trend, Arabi Facts Hub employs large language models alongside the region’s most comprehensive open-source fact-checking database. This database aggregates work from leading independent fact-checking initiatives across the Arab world, creating a valuable resource for journalists, researchers, and academics. Additionally, the organization has established an investigative unit dedicated to monitoring inauthentic behavior and coordinated social media campaigns that attempt to manipulate public opinion.

Understanding that lasting change begins with education, Arabi Facts Hub has focused significant efforts on university partnerships to train the next generation of journalists. The organization has developed a methodology built on four core principles: awareness before tools, practice over theory, integration of storytelling with data and AI, and positioning trainees as part of the solution.

“We view digital literacy as a skill developed through hands-on experience,” explained a representative from the Hub. “Every training session involves analyzing actual social media posts, verifying images and videos, and applying fact-checking tools in real time.”

To date, the organization has trained approximately 350 students across four Egyptian universities, with expansion plans underway. At the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in Alexandria, students learned digital storytelling, fact-checking, and data journalism through practical exercises. Similar programs at Al-Galala University in Suez Governorate focused on understanding AI-generated content and detecting deepfakes – skills increasingly vital in modern journalism but rarely taught in Arab academic institutions.

The organization’s largest training program took place at Cairo’s Helwan University, where hundreds of students participated in interactive sessions combining presentations, exercises, and open discussions. At Suez University, dozens of students strengthened their fact-checking and digital storytelling capabilities, with particular emphasis on visual storytelling and identifying manipulated content.

These university initiatives have not been without challenges. Trainers have encountered significant disparities in digital literacy among students, limited awareness of misinformation risks, time constraints within university curricula, and outdated academic programs that fail to address contemporary journalism needs. Despite these obstacles, the Hub has persisted, driven by noticeable improvements in student engagement and skill development.

Beyond Egypt, Arabi Facts Hub has expanded its influence across the region. In the past year alone, it trained approximately 500 professionals through 41 training courses in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq – combining online sessions with in-person workshops. The organization has also conducted specialized training for Syrian women journalists and formed partnerships with regional organizations including Syria’s Silah Wasl Foundation, Tahaqaq 360 in Lebanon, and the Yemeni Archive.

The skills taught in these programs have become essential in today’s media landscape. Modern newsrooms seek professionals who can protect against misinformation while producing well-researched digital stories – journalists who can interpret data critically, verify multimedia content, and understand how algorithms shape audience perception.

To support this broader mission, Arabi Facts Hub maintains an open-access database of misleading content that is updated daily and currently contains over 20,000 verified items from 24 partners across ten Arab countries. The organization also produces annual research reports tracking the evolution of information disorder in the region and has launched initiatives supporting digital policy development and media literacy.

“Building a culture of fact-checking in the Arab world is not a distant aspiration – it’s already taking shape,” noted an Arabi Facts Hub spokesperson. “From Alexandria to Beirut, Nouakchott, and Amman, we’re seeing real progress, one step at a time.”

This initiative represents a crucial effort to reclaim journalism’s respected public role by equipping practitioners with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate an increasingly complex information environment.