Kazakhstan proposes joint fact-checking centre with Russia

Kazakhstan has proposed establishing a joint information verification centre with Russia to combat disinformation and improve the accuracy of reporting on bilateral relations, while also calling for closer cooperation in media production.

Speaking at the plenary session of the Third Russia-Kazakhstan Media Forum, Kanat Kulshmanov, head of the Communications Department of the Office of the President of Kazakhstan, said a shared fact-checking mechanism would help both countries respond quickly to disputed or misleading information, Caliber.Az reports, citing Kazakh media.

“Ensuring reliability and effectiveness is becoming an increasingly important task for modern media. One of the tools for countering growing information risks is a mechanism for rapid fact-checking. A joint information verification centre could serve this purpose. Developing joint protocols for verifying information will allow the media in both countries to instantly verify disputed data. If inaccurate information appears online that affects our relations, we must be able to provide a quickly verified and, most importantly, truthful response,” Kulshmanov said.

He noted that Kazakhstan established a centre to combat disinformation last year, saying it had adapted international best practices to the country's specific circumstances while developing its own expertise.

“I believe that jointly improving the mechanism for debunking fake news will allow us to prevent any distortion of public opinion regarding Kazakhstani-Russian relations,” he said.

Kulshmanov also called for broader cooperation between the two countries' media sectors, arguing that Kazakhstan and Russia should move beyond exchanging content and begin jointly producing media projects.

By Sabina Mammadli