Fact Checking

Media.com is dedicated to the integrity, accuracy and reliability of information on our network. Our mandatory profile verification processes help make Media.com users accountable for the content they post. This lowers the potential risk of misinformation on our network, however it does not mean content on Media.com is risk-free.

Media.com recognizes and is supportive of different viewpoints on topics however where user-generated content published on Media.com risks adversely impacting Media.com users or the general public, we may take action.

Media.com uses advanced algorithms to detect potential misinformation by analyzing user interactions, patterns, and community reports. We encourage Media.com’s users to report potential misinformation where the content might be considered to be false, misleading, harmful or may adversely influence the decisions of others.

In the first instance of a report, Media.com’s content moderation team will review the content that has been flagged to determine whether it should be moderated, referred to one of our preferred third-party fact checkers for verification, or removed.

Content which is flagged but is unlikely to be false, misleading, harmful or adverse to the decisions of others may not be moderated or fact-checked. This decision will be made by Media.com’s content moderators at Media.com’s sole discretion.

If the content is likely to be false, misleading, harmful or may adversely influence the decisions of others, we may choose to moderate it and/or refer it to a third-party to be fact-checked, or removed.

Media.com has a panel of third-party, impartial fact-checking organizations it may defer to so that content can be fact-checked. These organizations are independently owned and operated and adhere to international fact-checking standards. Our fact-checkers employ various methods, including cross-referencing credible sources, data analysis, and expert consultation, to ascertain the accuracy of content referred to them by Media.com.

Content which has been or is likely to be viewed by a substantial number of users in a short period of time is more likely to be referred to fact-checkers than content which is viewed or likely to be viewed by fewer users.

If Media.com considers of its own accord or as a result of feedback from its independent third-party fact checkers that content may be false, misleading, harmful or may adversely influence the decisions of others, we may:

1. apply clear labels to the content to make Media.com’s users aware there may be risks associated with the content;
2. limit the reach of content including by decreasing its visibility in Media.com’s feed;
3. publish credible information alongside the content to make users aware of alternative viewpoints;
4. remove the content;
5. warn the user(s) who published the offending content;
6. temporarily suspend the account of the user(s) who published the offending content; and/or permanently block the account of the user(s) who published the offending content.

Media.com offers a transparent appeals process which allows our users to contest content moderation decisions and in some instances, submit revised content for re-evaluation.

Appeals decisions are at Media.com’s sole discretion and are aimed at maintaining the trust, safety and integrity of the Media.com network.

When Media.com decides to take action in respect of user-generated content, we inform the user(s) about the process and its outcome. We aim to notify users promptly and with accurate information to help guide future content publishing decisions.

Media.com is committed to protecting our users and the general public from misinformation and disinformation. We work closely with law enforcement and online safety organizations to address and prevent risks associated with misinformation and disinformation. Our aim is to foster a safe and harmonious online environment where users are safe to consume information published on Media.com.

If Media.com in its sole discretion considers content posted on our network to be in violation of any laws we may share information relating to the offending content with relevant law enforcement agencies in line with our Law Enforcement Liaison Policy.

Networks which host user-generated content like Media.com and others are prone to the risk of misinformation and disinformation. Media.com remains committed to using best endeavors to protect its users from the harm of misinformation and disinformation, however this does not mean consuming content on Media.com is risk-free.

Users should be aware that consuming content on networks like Media.com carries with it the risk of making decisions or forming views based on information which may be false, misleading, harmful or unreliable.

Media.com encourages users to undertake their own verification of information prior to making decisions in reliance of content published on Media.com. This includes business, personal relationship, health & wellbeing, medical, financial and education-related decisions made in reliance of information published by Media.com or Media.com’s users.