Case study: Unmasking disinformation – Rašid Krupalija’s journey at Raskrinkavanje 

Rašid Krupalija’s journey into fact-checking began at the start of 2020, after years in the media. Joining Raskrinkavanje, a fact-checking platform, he quickly found himself in the midst of a pandemic-induced deluge of disinformation.

“The first months of work in the newsroom were intense and challenging,” recalls Rašid. “It became very clear how destructive disinformation can be, in this case about a health crisis, and how necessary fact-checking is in such situations. Unfortunately, it was also evident how easy it is to spread disinformation and how difficult it is to analyse it – this is an unfair relationship to the detriment of journalists and fact- checkers who strive to present facts. However, that effort is necessary.”

A rigorous verification process 

Rašid and his team at Raskrinkavanje follow a rigorous methodology to verify claims, employing a variety of tools and techniques to ensure accuracy. “A typical day begins with a newsroom meeting, where we discuss current and new topics,” he explains. Key steps in their process include selecting topics based on reader suggestions or viral content, formulating claims to evaluate, identifying sources, consulting experts, and ultimately rating the claims for their veracity.

The sources of disinformation that Rašid encounters are diverse, but verifying information in the Western Balkans are particularly challenging. For Rašid, detaching personal opinions is essential to maintaining impartiality. “Opinion is something that distinguishes and shapes us, and media workers are no exception,” he says. “But the job of a journalist requires detachment from personal views and balancing it as close as possible to impartiality in reporting. Other media forms somewhat allow for commentary, but fact-checking does not. Although it seems demanding, this detachment from commentary and opinion actually facilitates achieving objectivity. It is very difficult to be biased if facts are the only thing that matter in the work.” 

Challenges and rewards 

Daily exposure to false information and conspiracy theories can take a toll on mental health. “This is a problem that I am very aware of and one that is not immediately obvious but over time starts to affect many aspects of everyday life and work,” says Rašid. “Daily exposure to such content is a significant burden on mental health, which is why the balance between work and private life is very important for someone who deals with fact-checking every day. For now, I find ways to separate these two spheres, but given the workload, it is sometimes very demanding.” 

Rašid has faced reactions, and  threats. “Media workers are unfortunately accustomed to threats and even attacks that often go unpunished,” he says. “This normalisation – the expectation that someone will receive threats just because they work in the media – should never have happened, and it is a problem we will have to address sooner or later.” 

A collective effort 

For Rašid, fighting disinformation is a group effort that crosses sectors. “It somehow seems that fact-checking, due to its nature, is always the first to be looked at when it comes to combatting disinformation, but success in this field depends on the efforts of many others,” he explains. “I mean to say that fact-checking alone will not stop disinformation, but it is one of the links in the chain of actors working to suppress disinformation. Enhancing media literacy, the work of regulatory agencies, the efforts of the academic community, and the strengthening of responsible journalism – all are pieces of the puzzle that build a wall of resilience to disinformation. Maybe our analyses of false claims will not stop disinformation, but they can be a resource for others in the chain, just as we, for example, use the expertise of other actors in analysing disinformation claims and narratives.” 

Rašid’s advice to journalists and fact-checkers is simple yet profound: ” ‘Trust, but verify.’ Trust sources, but always verify the information to ensure its authenticity.” 

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