Finding Facts in the Post-Truth World

What can we still believe? In the confusing and uncertain era of fake news and alternative facts, it’s increasingly challenging to unveil the truth. While major news organisations are still fact-checking through their own established sources, clever internet users are discovering ways to do it yourself. The realities of social media, surveillance capitalism and crowdsourcing have generated tools that enable access to an astonishing array of information. How does this new type of journalism work? Christaan Triebert was until recently connected to the journalism website Bellingcat which specialises in this type of fact-checking and open-source intelligence, publishing the findings of both professional and citizen journalist investigations. He shows how he uses modern technology and digital sources, such as WhatsApp messages, YouTube videos and Google Earth images to reveal the causes of bombing, war crimes and human rights violations.

Christiaan Triebert (1991) is now a journalist on the Visual Investigations team at the New York Times. He investigated the coup attempt in Turkey, the murder of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the wars in Syria, Iraq and Ukraine, but also moped gangs in London. With this Triebert is at the basis of a new journalism that he actively helps to spread. He has therefore been selected as Alumnus of the Year 2018 at the University of Groningen. Triebert studied International Relations, Middle Eastern Studies and Political Philosophy at the UG.

Are you a UG-alumnus?
You are welcome to join a 3-course dinner at Land van Kokanje at 6 pm. A ticket (including drinks) is € 25,-. If you have a periodical gift agreement the dinner is on us, we still request you to register online: ticket for alumni dinner (note: only for dinner, not for the lecture)

During dinner you can meet director Alumni Relations and Fundraising Remco Kouwenhoven and the chair of the Young Alumni Network Nathalie Horsting.

Photo by Tanya Kapitonova