Global Fact 7 was initially slated for three days at OsloMet University, but like all things, this was changed by COVID-19. The conference was scheduled to be Poynter’s biggest fact-checking event of all times, but its pivot to a virtual gathering may have been a blessing in disguise – this year’s conference expanded to a whole week, and to feature over 150 speakers in 17 time zones.

The panels had a look at fact-checking during the coronavirus crisis, the relationship between fact-checkers and technology companies, as well as the latest research into the most effective methods of fact-checking.

What did the researchers say? Wednesday’s academic panels focused on trust in media, the presentation of fact-checks and methods to fact-check health misinformation. Rasmus Kleis Nielsen from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism said there is broad trust in mainstream news organizations, but still a sizable minority of citizens avoiding the news all together.