The goal of the FACTory consortium is to reach those who don’t consume traditional media, and deliver high-quality, reliable information to them.

Misinformation spreads on social networks quickly and in entertaining formats such as videos and images. Fact-checks, by contrast, often remain confined to sober, text-heavy formats that struggle to compete for attention in mobile-first environments.

The newly launched European project FACTory (Building Reach & Amplifying Truth) aims to change that, by, among other things, the careful and transparent use of AI tools, to support fact-checkers without compromising editorial standards.

FACTory brings together five leading fact-checking organisations from across Europe to develop and test new, scalable formats and workflows that make verified information more engaging, visible, and easier to distribute — even for small and resource-constrained newsrooms.

Making fact-checking fit for today’s platforms

Over the course of the project, the FACTory partners will experiment with visual, interactive, and multimedia formats tailored to platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and messaging apps. In parallel, they will design and optimise efficient, responsible workflows, including the careful and transparent use of AI tools, to support fact-checkers without compromising editorial standards.

The project places a strong emphasis on responsible AI use: artificial intelligence is treated as a supportive tool in clearly defined workflows — never as a replacement for human editorial judgement.

A strong European consortium

FACTory is coordinated by dpa – German Press Agency and brings together four further fact-checking organisations:

Each partner will test different content formats and production approaches, working closely with local dissemination partners in their respective countries to ensure that fact-checks reach diverse and hard-to-reach audiences.

Sharing knowledge beyond the project

To ensure that the results have an impact beyond the 18-month project period, FACTory will publish a multilingual FACTory Playbook documenting tested formats, AI-assisted workflows, and best practices. In addition, the project will host workshops and training sessions for the European fact-checking community and beyond, enabling other organisations to replicate and adapt the results.

FACTory is co-funded by the European Union under Call CNECT/2024/1910855.