Our Methodology

Basic Principles

Qalta Disinformation Monitoring employs a methodologically rigorous approach to assess the credibility of online news sources. Our framework focuses on structural and operational aspects rather than content analysis, adhering to defined quality criteria. This methodology, developed to ensure objectivity and consistency, involves a comprehensive evaluation of factors such as editorial transparency, organizational structure, and adherence to ethical standards. Our analytical process, rooted in academic rigor, provides a systematic and unbiased assessment of each news source's reliability.

Our methodology is predicated on the principle that the inherent quality of a news source provides a more stable and objective basis for evaluation than the fluctuating nature of individual content pieces. By scrutinizing key aspects like domain registration details, editorial team accessibility, and compliance with data protection norms, we aim to ascertain the overall integrity and trustworthiness of the source. This approach, eschewing content analysis, allows for a more uniform and fair assessment, minimizing subjective biases and focusing on quantifiable and verifiable aspects of online media sources.

Quality Focus

Our approach prioritizes evaluating the quality of a news source over analyzing the content of individual articles. This strategy stems from the understanding that the structural and operational integrity of a news source is a more reliable and consistent indicator of its overall credibility and trustworthiness.

Understanding the Quality Focus

We delve into the core framework of the news source. This includes assessing the clarity of its ownership, the transparency of its funding, and the robustness of its editorial policies. By scrutinizing these foundational elements, we gain insights into the potential biases, motivations, and ethical standards governing the source. Beyond the structural components, our focus extends to how the news source operates in practice. This encompasses factors like the frequency and consistency of its content updates, the responsiveness to user feedback, and the adherence to data protection laws. Operational evaluation helps us understand the source's commitment to journalistic integrity and user engagement.

Why Avoid Content Analysis

Analyzing the content of individual articles can be subjective and may lead to biased interpretations. By focusing on the quality of the news source, we maintain objectivity in our assessments. The quality of a news source is a more stable metric than the content, which can vary from article to article. By evaluating the source itself, we provide a more consistent and reliable measure of its credibility. A news source's approach to its structural and operational elements often reflects in the content it produces. Therefore, by evaluating these aspects, we indirectly gauge the overall reliability and trustworthiness of the content.

Application of Quality Focus

In practice, our methodology involves a series of systematic checks and analyses. For example, when assessing the transparency of editorial teams, we look for clear information about the writers, editors, and their journalistic backgrounds. In examining technical security, we assess the website’s measures to protect user data and provide a secure browsing experience. These and other quality checks form a comprehensive picture of the news source's credibility, without needing to dissect individual articles.

Quality Criteria

Our evaluation process is anchored in a set of pre-defined quality criteria, each designed to assess various aspects of an online media source's credibility and legitimacy:

  • Imprint and Entity Identification: We check for a clear imprint or identifiable responsible entity to ensure traceability and accountability of the content.

  • Editorial Team Accessibility: We evaluate the transparency and accessibility of the editorial team, ensuring that they can be contacted and are identifiable.

  • Organizational Structure Transparency: We assess the clarity of the website's organizational structure, looking for indications of a legitimate and functional operational framework.

  • Adherence to Data Protection Regulations: We verify compliance with relevant data protection and privacy laws, an essential aspect of a credible media outlet.

  • Global Citation by Reputable Media: We investigate whether the site is referenced by established global media, which can be an indicator of reliability.

  • Contact Address Availability: We check for a verifiable physical or digital contact address, lending credibility to the website.

  • Content Update Frequency: We review how regularly the website updates its content, a sign of active and ongoing engagement in current events.

  • Journalistic Ethics Compliance: We examine the adherence to recognized journalistic standards and ethics, including sourcing, fact-checking, and avoidance of sensationalism.

  • Transparency in Funding and Sponsorship: We investigate the openness regarding funding and sponsorships, crucial for understanding potential biases.

  • Website Technical Security: We evaluate the technical security measures of the website, ensuring that it safeguards user data and operates reliably.

  • User Feedback and Interaction: We analyze the extent of user engagement and feedback mechanisms, a sign of a responsive and interactive platform.