| Formation | 2020 |
|---|---|
Official language | English, Arabic |
Key people | Mohammed Al-Sheikh (managing editor) |
| Website | misbar |
Misbar is a fact-checking website based in Jordan. It was established in 2019.
Misbar is based in Jordan. [1] It was established in 2019 as a fact-checking unit under Baaz, Inc., and later became a standalone website. [2] Mohammed Al-Sheikh is its managing editor. [3] Al-Sheikh told The New Arab, "There are many fact-checking platforms and initiatives in the Arab world, but we consider ourselves the first platform working round the clock to check news, fight fake news, and also raise awareness among the public about the media." [3]
Misbar was part of the #CoronaVirusFacts Alliance, a group of fact-checkers led by the International Fact Checking Network (IFCN) which sought to combat COVID-19 misinformation. [4] The project ended in 2023. [5]
Misbar has debunked misinformation in the Gaza war, including false claims that dead Palestinian children were actually dolls [6] [7] and a photo of IDF soldiers edited to show them holding the ISIS flag. [8] [9] It has also debunked misinformation that spread online following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. [10]
Misbar relies on photo and video verification methods to verify information from media sources, and contacts people to verify statements attributed to them. [3] It maintains offices in the United States and Jordan. [4]
In May 2021, Hind Khoudary, a Palestinian journalist working for Misbar, said that Instagram was censoring her content related to support for Sheikh Jarrah residents and Palestinians during the Sheikh Jarrah controversy. [11]
