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Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology FactLab (RMIT FactLab)

Website:

www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab
Type:

International Research Organization
Formation:

2021
Director:

Russel Skelton
Headquarters:

124 La Trobe Street
Location:

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology FactLab (RMIT FactLab) is an Australia-based research hub housed at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology university that works to fight alleged misinformation and disinformation online. 1 2

In 2022, RMIT FactLab was hired to do fact-checking for Meta (formerly known as Facebook) Australia. 3 The organization used its technology to downrank and ‘grey-out’ posts the group viewed as false and misleading. 4 5 In August 2023, Facebook suspended RMIT FactLab as a factchecking partner organization amid criticisms that it was favoring one side in an Australian referendum campaign and had lost accreditation with the Poynter Institute for Media Studies’ International Fact-Checking Network, which is a requirement to be a part of Meta’s factchecking program. 6 7 8

RMIT FactLab has received funding from Meta to do fact-checking on content posted on Facebook and Instagram. 9 It has also received funding and from the Australian government for other programs. 10 11

History and Leadership

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology FactLab (RMIT FactLab) was founded in January 2021 12 to debunk and research alleged disinformation and misinformation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic on social media. 13

The concept for RMIT FactLab originated from the CoronaCheck newsletter that was launched in March 2020 as an effort to “fact-check” information related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The newsletter was published across state-funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) platforms. 14

Russell Skelton is the director of RMIT FactLab and RMIT ABC Fact Check, an unrelated organization at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. 15  Skelton has worked as the business and deputy editor of Australian newspaper The Age and held senior editorial positions at Australian media outlets including the ABC, News Limited, and Fairfax. 16

In August 2023, Skelton was campaigning on Twitter in favor of the Voice vote, an effort driven by the left-of-center Labor Party government to amend Australia’s constitution to establish an Aboriginal Australian voice to the Australian Parliament, despite his nonpartisan role as RMIT FactLab director. 17 18

Activities and Funding

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) FactLab is a research hub located in Melbourne, Australia, at RMIT University 19 that is committed to fighting what it identifies as the viral spread of misinformation and disinformation online. 20

RMIT FactLab attempts to provide a platform for research into alleged misinformation and disinformation as well as the impact of artificial intelligence on the digital news ecosystem. The organization shares its research and information with RMIT ABC Fact Check, a program RMIT operates in conjunction with state-funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). 21

RMIT Fact Lab is a signatory to the left-of-center Poynter Institute for Media Studies’ International Fact-Checking Network’s code of principles and collaborates with the IFCN, ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, and the RMIT Centre for Information Discovery and Data Analytics. In 2022, RMIT FactLab collaborated with the Institute for Strategic Dialogue on Mosaic, a project monitoring the Australian federal election results. 22

RMIT FactLab’s fact-checking operations include several programs. CrossCheck works with partners to monitor and alert them to alleged misinformation and disinformation narratives. It also conducts training for media, civil society, corporate, and public sectors on alleged misinformation and disinformation. CheckMate is RMIT FactLab’s weekly e-mail regarding alleged misinformation and disinformation in Australia. 23

RMIT FactLab runs an “education and training” program to educate readers about what the organization considers misinformation and disinformation. 24 RMIT FactLab also provides interactive video lessons for teachers of Year 7 to Year 10 school students to help them understand the concept of fact-checking. 25

Work with Facebook

In 2022, RMIT FactLab was hired to do fact-checking on Meta (formerly known as Facebook) Australia. 26 Until August 2023, RMIT FactLab was in partnership with American technology firm Meta to deliver real-time fact-checking of supposed misinformation posted on Facebook and its image-based subsidiary Instagram. 27 RMIT’s fact-checking team worked in partnership with Meta as a third-party fact checker, attempting to debunk allegedly problematic posts on Facebook and its image-based subsidiary Instagram, using its technology to downrank and ‘grey-out’ posts the group views as false and misleading. 28 29

In August 2023, Facebook suspended RMIT FactLab as a factchecking partner organization amid criticisms that it was favoring one side in the Indigenous Voice referendum in Australia and for receiving foreign funding. 30 31 In 2023, the RMIT FactLab also lost accreditation with the Poynter Institute for Media Studies’ International Fact-Checking Network, which is a requirement to be a part of Meta’s factchecking program. 32

Also in August 2023, an RMIT FactLab staffer labelled Australian Opposition leader Peter Dutton a “fear-mongering racist” for his opposition to the Voice referendum campaign. 33 34

Funding

Royal Institute of Melbourne (RMIT) FactLab has received funding from American social media company Meta (formerly known as Facebook) to do fact-checking on content posted on Facebook and its image-based subsidiary application, Instagram, in Australia. 35

RMIT FactLab has also received funding from RMIT University, the left-of-center Poynter Institute for Media Studies’ International Fact-Checking Network, the Judith Neilson Institute, and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs. 36 37

RMIT FactLab also accepts public donations that are used to support its so-called fact-checking activities, including the operation of a tipline focused on alleged misinformation. 38

References

  1. International Fact-Checking Network. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://ifcncodeofprinciples.poynter.org/application/public/rmit-factlab/76A14978-A0D0-7E58-837E-ACBEA650FC64.
  2. “About RMIT FactLab.” RMIT University. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab.
  3. “RMIT FactLab partners with Meta to address the spread of viral misinformation.” RMIT University. March 15, 2022. Accessed September 16, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/media-releases-and-expert-comments/2022/mar/rmit-fact-lab-meta.
  4. “About RMIT FactLab.” RMIT University. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab.
  5. “Debunks.” RMIT University. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/debunking-misinformation.
  6. Butler, Josh. Facebook suspends RMIT FactLab after voice no campaigners criticize factchecker.” The Guardian. August 29, 2029. September 10, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/29/facebook-meta-suspends-rmit-factlab-factchecker-indigenous-voice-to-parliament-referendum.
  7. “’The fact-checkers have been fact checked’: Meta suspends RMIT FactLab.” Sky News Australia. August 29, 2023. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIPJn1wO06E.
  8. “RMIT fact checkers were undergoing ‘very biased’ checks on Voice debate.” Sky News Australia YouTube Channel. August 29, 2023. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKXim8Od6lQ.
  9. “Funding.” RMIT FactLab. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab/funding.
  10. “Funding.” RMIT FactLab. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab/funding.
  11. “About RMIT FactLab.” RMIT University. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab.
  12. “Our heritage.” RMIT University. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/our-heritage.
  13. International Fact-Checking Network. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://ifcncodeofprinciples.poynter.org/application/public/rmit-factlab/76A14978-A0D0-7E58-837E-ACBEA650FC64.
  14. International Fact-Checking Network. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://ifcncodeofprinciples.poynter.org/application/public/rmit-factlab/76A14978-A0D0-7E58-837E-ACBEA650FC64.
  15. International Fact-Checking Network. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://ifcncodeofprinciples.poynter.org/application/public/rmit-factlab/76A14978-A0D0-7E58-837E-ACBEA650FC64
  16. “Our people.” RMIT FactLab. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab/people.
  17. “’Good news’: Meta suspends RMIT FactLab as fact checkers.” Sky News Australia YouTube Channel. August 29, 2023. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1XX5vvNogQ.
  18. Collins, Padraig. “Facebook ends partnership with RMIT’s FactLab after receiving complaints about bias over The Voice. August 29, 2023. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12455459/Facebook-ends-partnership-RMITs-FactLab-receiving-complaints-bias-Voice.html
  19. International Fact-Checking Network. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://ifcncodeofprinciples.poynter.org/application/public/rmit-factlab/76A14978-A0D0-7E58-837E-ACBEA650FC64.
  20. “About RMIT FactLab.” RMIT University. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab.
  21. “About RMIT FactLab.” RMIT University. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab.
  22. [1] “About RMIT FactLab.” RMIT University. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab
  23. “About RMIT FactLab.” RMIT University. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab.
  24. “About RMIT FactLab.” RMIT University. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab.
  25. “Education and Training.” RMIT University Fact Lab. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/education-training.
  26. “RMIT FactLab partners with Meta to address the spread of viral misinformation.” RMIT University. March 15, 2022. Accessed September 16, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/media-releases-and-expert-comments/2022/mar/rmit-fact-lab-meta.
  27. “About RMIT FactLab.” RMIT University. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab.
  28. “About RMIT FactLab.” RMIT University. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab.
  29. “Debunks.” RMIT University. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/debunking-misinformation.
  30. “’The fact-checkers have been fact checked’: Meta suspends RMIT FactLab.” Sky News Australia. August 29, 2023. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIPJn1wO06E.
  31. “RMIT fact checkers were undergoing ‘very biased’ checks on Voice debate.” Sky News Australia YouTube Channel. August 29, 2023. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKXim8Od6lQ.
  32. Butler, Josh. Facebook suspends RMIT FactLab after voice no campaigners criticize factchecker.” The Guardian. August 29, 2029. September 10, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/29/facebook-meta-suspends-rmit-factlab-factchecker-indigenous-voice-to-parliament-referendum.
  33. “Tweet.” Michael Shellenberger Twitter. Posted August 22, 2023. Accessed September 16, 2023. https://twitter.com/shellenberger/status/1694166598821814608?s=46&t=DrtH-0aRc4Cr1k3T3toYTg.
  34. “’Blatantly false’: RMIT FactLab exposed after silently deleting ‘egregious’ fact check.” Sky News Australia. September 8, 2023. Accessed September 16, 2023. https://www.skynews.com.au/opinion/blatantly-false-rmit-factlab-exposed-after-silently-deleting-egregious-fact-check/video/3c0b0f154343825b2fba1b05cc1313c9.
  35. “Funding.” RMIT FactLab. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab/funding.
  36. “Funding.” RMIT FactLab. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab/funding.
  37. “About RMIT FactLab.” RMIT University. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab
  38. “Funding.” RMIT FactLab. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/industry/factlab/about-rmit-factlab/funding
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