Dismislab is an independent, neutral and non-partisan online factchecking and media research platform. It is neither a news outlet, nor just another factchecking website. Dismislab is, rather, an information laboratory with an aim to monitor current news, conduct media related research and factchecking. All this is expected to enhance the critical thinking of journalists as well as readers. We are a research-based outfit. 

Goal: In this day and age of free-flowing information, disinformation and misinformation have become major concerns for people around the world. The name ‘dismislab’ is derived from the ‘dis’ of disinformation and ‘mis’ of misinformation.  In keeping with its homonym, we intend to also ‘dismiss’ fake and harmful information with facts.

There are bits of disinformation and misinformation intertwined with the information that flows through the internet. We have adopted as our mission to identify and present people with authentic information to help them make the right decision. Our motto is to reduce the possible harm from misinformation online and making people aware of such propaganda as well.

Purpose/Objective: Politics, religion and business interests appear to have become divisive issues creating rifts in our society. The fast expansion of technology and the internet are deepening those rifts further. Therefore, our focus is not just politics, neither health, nor religion. We intervene wherever false and fabricated information, no matter the subject, thwart public interest. We verify not just for the sake of verification. Nor will we conduct analysis for the sake of it. We engage wherever there is public interest and people’s welfare at stake. 

We have four core objectives:

1. Develop and enhance media literacy at all levels through research and analysis.
2. Present factual and objective information by verifying the disinformation and misinformation prevailing online.
3. Help media avoid the web of fake and harmful information and assist them to present the facts.
4. Analyse the existing information and present them in a simple manner that is easy to understand.

A team of professionals, combining journalistic experience and technological expertise, monitors and verifies information online round the clock. Our researchers not only verify the information, but also ascertain its source and suggests possible solutions. The result of their dedicated work is showcased on the Dismislab website.

Scope: Readers will find four main sections on our website – factcheck, media literacy, media watchdog, and research. We carry out factchecking, but do not limit ourselves to it. The media literacy section does not only teach the audience what ought to be done, but also strives to raise their awareness through real life examples that readers can relate to. The media watchdog section does not merely hold the media to account, but it endeavours to also enhance their capacity to successfully wade through the surge of fake and false information. The research section houses our own research, as well as research done elsewhere that is relevant to our context and environment.

We aspire to involve journalists with this website, especially in the watchdog and research sections. We plan to commission research-based (not opinions) analyses and article by journalists. Interested writers can share their ideas with us any time.

Editorial policy

Dismislab editorial team is fully independent and responsible for all editorial decisions. These decisions are taken in light of the experience of the team members and strictly adhering to the global standards of factchecking. Other individuals, groups or Dismislab’s owning company has no influence in this regard. Dismislab is always mindful of facts, context and fairness of data and information when publishing any kind of research or articles.

Editorial policy: We strictly follow all ethical standards of publication as well as International Factchecking Network (IFCN) policies.

Dismislab is fully accountable to its audience for all of its activities.

We present each content category — factcheck, articles, watchdog reports, research —distinctly to avoid confusion.

We ensure that certain content dealing with children, women, ethnic or religious or gender minorities, or those that involve witnesses of crimes adhere to relevant provisions of Bangladeshi laws, and comply with the internationally accepted covenants of journalistic ethics.

If and only when it is imperative in public interest to publish offensive, disturbing or graphic content (photograph, video or text), we duly and appropriately notify the audience at the outset. 

We ensure full transparency about the sources used for factchecking. We refrain from using any sources that cannot be divulged to the public with full attribution.

We, essentially, verify any claim or information through open-source material and evidence. However, in the interest of thorough and robust factchecking, we also include information that is not open source. These can include comments of experts, insiders with relevant insight or witnesses to the event or incident in question. In such cases, however, we also disclose the reasoning and processes behind reaching our conclusion.

Source selection: We try our best to use the neutral non-partisan sources of data and information (such as peer-reviewed journals and government statistics). Besides, we also take into consideration, data and information from such sources as political advocacy groups or partisan think tanks in the interest of public awareness.

Each and every source that we quote, link, or use for background, context or verification is always included as end notes.

In case of comments from individuals or organisations, through email or over telephone, we mention them as such within the text of the content but do not reference them as endnotes separately.

Contents like social media posts and YouTube videos that are embedded within the main body of our content to provide information and background are not referenced separately in our list of sources.