Following the collapse of the Syrian regime in early 2025, a wave of fake news, disinformation, and mixed narratives has flooded the media landscape. In response, Women Who Won the War launched a specialised training series on reporting survivors’ stories during times of conflict. As part of this series, investigative journalist Maha Salah El-Din led a session titled “Fact-Checking During Conflicts”, focusing on tools and ethics for verifying information in times of crisis.

The session addressed the ethical responsibilities of journalists. It stressed the need for accuracy and verified information. Journalists must protect survivors’ rights and ensure coverage remains respectful and safe. Maha warned against publishing unverified content. She urged reporters to pause, verify, and think before sharing sensitive material. Respecting survivors’ privacy is essential. That includes avoiding images or videos that could expose them to harm.
Fact-checking, she explained, is more than spotting lies. It includes verifying accurate stories before they are twisted or misused. Even true content can cause harm if shared without context. Journalists must check how stories are framed and circulated. Misinformation can hurt survivors or mislead readers. Responsible reporting means checking everything — even the truth.

The session also explored the wider risks of misinformation. Journalists should understand its political and humanitarian effects. Disinformation is not only in official statements. It spreads through images and videos used out of context. These materials can serve political or ideological agendas. Journalists must stay alert to manipulation in all forms of media.

Types of misleading content in conflict zones:
– Misinformation: Incorrect information shared unintentionally.
– Disinformation: False content spread deliberately to deceive.
– Mal-information: True content used in harmful or misleading ways.

She introduced several tools for verifying photos and videos. These included reverse image searches via Google Images and Google Lens. She also explained how to check locations using Google Maps. For videos, she recommended using the InVID plugin for analysis. She highlighted keyframe analysis as useful for verifying location and authenticity. She also discussed how to detect AI-generated content. Finally, she stressed the need for critical thinking when assessing viral material online.

The session distinguished between pre-publication verification—an essential journalistic responsibility—and post-publication verification, which involves reviewing already circulated content. Both are vital in today’s fast-paced media environment.
Maha stressed that verifying information after publication is just as important, not only to confirm accuracy but also to correct errors that could shape public opinion.

Mental Wellbeing for Journalists
The trainer highlighted the emotional impact of covering traumatic events in conflict zones and unstable environments. She encouraged journalists to practice regular self-care and keep emotional distance while reporting difficult, distressing stories. Protecting mental wellbeing, she said, is essential for long-term resilience in high-pressure reporting environments.
She added that verification requires strong discipline and mental focus, especially when dealing with tragedy and violent conflict.
Verification tasks can be emotionally taxing, making emotional regulation vital for maintaining accuracy and judgement.

The session concluded by emphasising that verification is not a solo effort within responsible journalism. It requires coordination between journalists, editorial teams, and independent fact-checking platforms to ensure credibility and accuracy. Reliable reporting depends on shared responsibility, especially when covering fast-moving or sensitive situations. Verification is not only about exposing falsehoods, but about building awareness of how disinformation spreads.
The goal is to promote a culture of verification across newsrooms and audiences alike.
This ensures journalism remains a force for truth and accountability—not a weapon used for harm or manipulation.