On November 18, the ‘Media Literacy and Fact-Checking for Business’ private sector capacity-building training was held in Goris. Over two dozen representatives from small and medium-sized businesses in the Syunik region, along with communication specialists, participated.

Fact-checking expert and head of the Civil Net Check team, Ani Grigoryan, along with media researcher and fact-checking expert Harutyun Tsatryan, discussed the risks of false information in business and strategies to combat it. The participants explored the Armenian context of media literacy and learned how to utilize fact-checking tools to preserve information integrity in the private sector. The trainers also shared findings from thematic research conducted by the Freedom of Information Center of Armenia, showing the common needs of the community and the possibilities of their solution in Armenia.

The workshop was organized by the Center for Freedom of Information with the support of the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE).

Luiza Ayvazyan, the head of the Armenian office of the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), emphasized the importance of a media-literate business in influencing the choice of advertising platforms. She highlighted the role businesses can play in preventing the spread of false information and promoting information integrity.

“Our organization appreciates the capabilities of the business community in this domain, recognizing its pivotal role in shaping the business community’s selection of media platforms for advertising distribution. Businesses frequently invest in gaining visibility, inadvertently supporting media platforms that disseminate misinformation. A media-literate business, however, proves instrumental in thwarting such information distortions, ultimately fostering information integrity in the field,” remarked Luiza Ayvazyan.

Upcoming workshops are scheduled in Yerevan and Gyumri.