Marsad Beam

Where we track and monitor rumors, as well as misleading and false news, in Sudan

(Marsad Beam) is the department within Beam Reports responsible for monitoring rumors, and for fact-checking information circulating in the Sudanese public sphere

Marsad Beam operates according to a methodology for selecting claims that require fact-checking, research, and evaluation

Methodology

This methodology refers to the steps and mechanisms used to identify priority subjects or claims that need fact-checking. At Marsad Beam, we rely on three factors when selecting claims

  1. Source of the claim:
    Whether the news originates from an authoritative entity such as government bodies, political parties, civil society organizations, media outlets, and news platforms, or if it comes from a public figure who has an impact on the political and social landscape.
  2. Impact of the claim on society:
    Marsad Beam focuses on subjects that have a major impact on the community. For example, claims that threaten public safety, security, or health, spread hate speech or bias, or carry any kind of propaganda.
  3. Extent of the claim’s dissemination:
    Marsad Beam focuses on news that is widely circulated and commonly shared in the community, or news that is expected to spread more than others.

Content we do not fact-check

The selection methodology explains the characteristics of the content we fact-check, but Marsad Beam does not work on fact-checking all the content it encounters or that reaches us through fact-checking requests. The following criteria describe content we do not fact-check:

  • We do not fact-check content with limited privacy (not publicly available).
  • We do not fact-check content that has not gained traction, unless it is likely to spread and is relevant to the community.
  • We do not fact-check content that is not circulating among Sudanese audiences

Fact-checking methodology

Marsad Beam uses a variety of tools, methods, and techniques in the fact-checking process, which goes through several stages:

  1. Open-source tools:
    These include search engines, reverse image and video searches, and the analysis of audiovisual materials to reveal the true nature of the content.
  2. Human sources:
    If no information can be found online, the Marsad Beam team seeks statements or information from reliable human sources directly related to the claim. Marsad Beam does not rely on a single human source to avoid intentional or unintentional misinformation.
  3. Field work:
    If it’s not possible to obtain information or statements from human sources, the Marsad Beam team conducts field investigations, gathering information and closely examining all associated details on the ground.

Marsad beam classifications

After fact-checking, Marsad Beam categorizes claims as follows:

  • Fabricated (مفبرك): 
    The core content of the claim is untrue, with no evidence or facts to support it.
  • Misleading (مضلل):
    The claim contains some correct information alongside incorrect or fabricated details, designed for a specific purpose by the content creator.
  • Selective (انتقائي):
    The claim is true but oversimplified by focusing on certain elements or aspects and neglecting others. This aims to highlight specific aspects while preventing others from gaining attention.
  • Accurate (صحيح):
    The claim is completely true and supported by evidence and proof that confirm and reinforce it.

Fact-checking process

To publish fact-checking reports on the Beam Reports website, the Marsad Beam team follows several steps, from selecting claims that require fact-checking to the final stage of publishing first on the website, then on social media. The steps are as follows:

  1. Monitoring:
    This is conducted by the media monitoring team, as well as receiving fact-checking requests through the “Fact-Checking Requests” section on the website, via Marsad Beam’s email (marsad@beamreports.com), or through Beam Reports’ social media accounts.
  2. Selection:
    Determining whether the claim meets the selection criteria outlined in the methodology.
  3. Fact-checking:
    Applying the fact-checking methodology, then classifying the results to reach a final judgment on the claim according to Beam Reports’ classifications.
  4. Writing:
    The fact-checker compiles their findings into a single report, stating the classification and the reasoning behind it, aiming to clarify and simplify it for the reader.
  5. Review:
    Once the fact-checker finishes the fact-checking, another fact-checker reviews the material to ensure no errors occurred during the process.
  6. Editing:
    An editor reviews the report to ensure it aligns with Beam Reports’ writing style and corrects any linguistic errors.
  7. Publishing:
    The fact-checked report is then posted on the website and subsequently shared on social media platforms.