Disinformation continues to challenge Kazakhstan’s societal fabric, fueling distrust and hindering informed decision-making. Building on the success of the 2024 FactCheck Dive initiative, MediaNet is proud to launch FactCheck Dive 2025, an ambitious project designed to enhance critical thinking, media literacy, and fact-checking skills across diverse groups in Kazakhstan.

This impactful project is made possible thanks to the support of The Nippon Foundation, whose commitment to fostering informed and resilient societies aligns with our mission.

Why It Matters

As online platforms grow, so does the prevalence of false information. With media literacy education remaining underdeveloped in schools and universities, FactCheck Dive 2025 aims to bridge these gaps through practical, targeted training. By empowering individuals to identify and combat disinformation, the project will contribute to a culture of truth, transparency, and informed decision-making.

Building on Success

In 2024, FactCheck Dive laid a strong foundation by delivering:

• An online course for a wide audience to strengthen critical thinking and fact-checking skills.
• A high-level OSINT workshop in Almaty for top graduates of our training program.
• Two pilot media literacy lectures in schools to test methods for empowering students.

This year, we aim to do even more – expanding the scope, refining our methodologies, and maximizing our impact to reach even more people across Kazakhstan.

What to Expect

Over the project of 2025, FactCheck Dive will:

• Train 100+ Media Professionals: Journalists, students, and professors will participate in offline fact-checking workshops in three parts of the country – northern, southern and eastern, combining theory and practice.
• Advance Expertise in OSINT: The top 25 graduates of the regional training will attend an advanced workshop in Almaty, focusing on cutting-edge open-source intelligence techniques.
• Empower Youth with Media Literacy: At least 100 schoolchildren in Almaty will learn to critically evaluate information, protect themselves online, and address cyberbullying.
• Pioneer a Fact-Checking Certification System: A pilot testing framework will be developed to assess and certify fact-checking proficiency.

Key Milestones

• Regional trainings (March–May 2025)
• Advanced OSINT workshop (September 2025)
• Media literacy lectures for schoolchildren (October–November 2025)
• Pilot launch of the fact-checking testing system (throughout 2025)

Our Commitment

MediaNet’s mission is to foster a resilient society equipped to counter disinformation. By building on last year’s achievements and delivering expanded, high-impact activities, FactCheck Dive 2025 will empower individuals to become champions of critical thinking and responsible media consumption.

Join us on this journey towards a more informed Kazakhstan!