🚨 Disgraced fact-checkers rebrand ahead of election

RMIT University quietly rebrands its controversial Factlab department after the operation was caught issuing error-ridden verdicts targeting rightwing opponents

We see you 'RMIT Lookout'

Full story: https://t.co/AL1caTk72B pic.twitter.com/KEPQ50wdeR

— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) December 18, 2024

RMIT University has quietly rebranded its controversial fact-checking unit ahead of the upcoming federal election, after the operation was widely criticised for error-ridden verdicts and alleged biases.

The unit, now known as RMIT Lookout, claims to be committed to defending democracy by fighting misinformation and disinformation. In a new statement, the university said, “RMIT Lookout is an independent, not-for-profit fact-checking organisation that works to slow the spread of misinformation and disinformation in Australia.”

It goes on to boast of its "experienced team of journalists" who review social media content that could potentially "harm people or undermine democratic processes."

However, the rebranding comes after multiple scandals, including one where the university’s previous fact-checking body, RMIT Factlab, was called out for accepting up to $740,000 annually from Meta’s Irish subsidiary to censor political debate in Australia. This raised serious concerns about the university’s influence on democratic discourse.

Despite the marketing rebrand, the new unit has already been caught in a misstep. It falsely claimed on its website that it is accredited by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), an accreditation it currently lacks. “RMIT Lookout is an independent fact-checking project of RMIT University. It is accredited by the International Fact-Checking Network,” the website misleadingly stated. However, a check of the IFCN’s website reveals that RMIT Lookout is not listed among its 145 active signatories. In fact, the only RMIT operation previously listed was removed from the IFCN site last month.

RMIT has since deleted the old debunk page after questions were raised questions about the rebrand. The university also admitted in a statement that it had not yet secured accreditation, despite earlier claims. “RMIT has been undertaking the necessary steps to formalise its IFCN accreditation,” a spokesman said. “It is currently being reviewed by IFCN, and we are expecting this process to be finalised imminently.”

The rebranding follows a series of scandals, including the suspension of RMIT from Meta’s platform in 2023 due to its expired IFCN license and a conflict of interest during the Voice referendum.

In 2023, Rebel News revealed how court documents exposed the secretive fact-checking agreement between social media giant Meta and RMIT.

The confidential third-party fact-checker agreement came to light during Rebel News reporter Avi Yemini's defamation case against RMIT FactLab over a false fact-check on one of his reports.

Earlier this year the ABC ended a seven-year partnership with RMIT, severing ties with the University's Fact Check operation.

Despite these issues, there has been no public accountability, and the university's staff continue to work on rebranding the troubled unit, which is expected to fully unveil its operations in 2025.

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