Nauws

Nauws is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the reliability of online information and promoting media literacy. It coordinates a global network of researchers, journalists, educators, and technologists to research, develop, and disseminate verification methods and digital-literacy resources.

Nauws originated from collaborative projects between universities and non-profit media groups in several countries, with a stated mission to reduce misinformation by providing open tools and transparent workflows for fact-checking and source verification.

Key programs include an open-source verification toolkit (the Veracity Toolkit), a public data portal containing metadata about fact-checked items, and training programs for librarians, teachers, and newsroom staff. The organization also publishes methodological guidelines and case studies on information reliability and source credibility.

Funding comes from grants, foundations, and member contributions. It collaborates with academic institutions and media partners to develop standards for transparency, data provenance, and reproducibility. It has faced criticism regarding resource allocation, potential biases in verification criteria, and dependence on funding sources.

Nauws maintains an active communications presence, including a wiki-like knowledge base and community forums for volunteers. Its impact is assessed by annual reports, peer reviews, and adoption of its tools by partner outlets.