Tahaqaq
| Formation | 2015 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Baker Mohammad Abdulhaq |
Official language | English, Arabic |
| Website | tahaqaq |
Tahaqaq (Arabic: تحقق, lit. 'verification'), also known as the Palestinian Observatory for Fact-Checking and Media Literacy, is a Palestinian fact-checking organization founded in 2015 by Baker Mohammad Abdulhaq. It is a member of the Arab Fact-Checkers Network (AFCN).
History
Tahaqaq was created in 2015 by Baker Mohammad Abdulhaq, a journalist and fact-checker based in Nablus, a Palestinian city in the West Bank. Abdulhaq created it as part of his master's thesis in fact-checking. It ran out of money in 2017, but restarted in 2020 to fact-check COVID-19 misinformation.[1] In July 2022, Tahaqaq became part of the Arab Fact-Checkers Network (AFCN).[2]
Tahaqaq has reported on the Gaza war, including on Israel's use of white phosphorus against civilians.[1] It has also debunked online misinformation in the war,[3][1] such as AI-manipulated content and the Pallywood disinformation campaign.[4][5] On October 23, 2023, Tahaqaq was targeted by cyberattacks attempting to disable its website after it reported on the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion.[1]
In 2024, Tahaqaq won an award from the Arab Fact-Checkers Network (AFCN) for the "Fact-Checking Platforms Collaboration to Counter Mis/Disinformation During the War on Gaza and South Lebanon" project, done in collaboration with Misbar in Jordan and Sawab in Lebanon.[6]
Operation
Tahaqaq largely publishes its reporting in Arabic. As of late 2023, Tahaqaq's team consisted of Abdulhaq and nine fact-checkers.[1]
Tahaqaq fact-checker Rana Salahat said in 2023, "There are several challenges, including restricted access to the materials we publish on social media platforms, as it is considered Palestinian content. Additionally, [Tahaqaq] has faced attempted breaches and numerous instances of electronic spam appearing on our posts."[3]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Hsu, Tiffany; Frenkel, Sheera (2024-01-25). "From Opposite Sides of War, a Hunt for Elusive Facts (Published 2024)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2025-08-19. Retrieved 2025-08-19.
- ↑ Aziz, Sameen (2024-08-30). "Video from Palestine shared as Ismail Haniyeh's last moments". Soch Fact Check. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- 1 2 Niranjankumar, Nivedita (2023-11-24). "Israel-Palestine: How Arab Fact Checkers Are Fighting The Misinformation War". BOOM. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ↑ Al-Arja, Ahmad (18 May 2025). "Weaponized Artificial Intelligence: The Unseen Threat to Fact-Checking". Al Jazeera Media Institute. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ↑ Marq, Wesam Abo (28 October 2024). "Fact-Checkers Uncover Pallywood and Gazawood Disinformation Campaigns". Misbar.
- ↑ ""Collaboration to Counter Mis/Disinformation During War on Gaza and South Lebanon": ARIJ's AFCN Award Winner 2024". Arab Fact-Checkers Network. 8 December 2024.
