or topic, which will in turn engage a secondary audience (Pavleska et al. 2018). Fact checkers and journalists are aware that different platforms or channels are more effective in reaching specific audiences. Many interviewees mentioned that, in general, Facebook has the widest reach, whereas Twitter tends to have an audience with higher levels of engagement and Englishlanguage skills. Yudhanjaya Wijerathne described how Watchdog uses different channels to achieve different goals and to reach specific audiences. He pointed out that even though their Facebook page has the highest reach, it is seen as comparatively less professional and credible than their website by some sections of their audience, due to general perceptions of the platform (interview, 2021). Mahoshadi Peiris made similar comments on the differences between the audiences that connect to Factcheck.lk via Facebook vs Twitter: “Facebook and Twitter are like two different things. The community on Twitter is very tight-knit: everyone knows everyone, and it’s a very small circle. We see a lot more fruitful engagement from Englishmedia-consuming audiences on Twitter, because they’re concerned about the same kind of [sociopolitical] issues” (interview, 2021). Similarly, Sandun Arosha, from Sri Lanka, explained that Citizen Fact Check’s Twitter audience tends to be English speaking, whereas Facebook has a better reach among the Sinhala-speaking audience (interview, 2021). Harshana Silva, a fact checker from Hashtag Generation in Sri Lanka, mentioned that they use Instagram posts and stories to reach a different audience (interview, 2021). REACHING TARGET GROUPS Dr. N. Tamilselvi narrated that in India she and her collaborators specifically target the middle-class urban population. They have made a deliberate decision to not focus on other social classes. According to her, reaching the lower social classes is tougher, as their interests are focused on primary needs, whereas members of the upper class benefit from their access to English media channels, which tend to counter mis- and disinformation to a greater degree than their local-language counterparts (interview, 2021). Asel Sooronbaeva noted that Factcheck.kg’s highest levels of engagement on social media are from urban, educated men in the 25–45 years age bracket. They have started creating content in the local language (Kyrgyz) to connect with local rural audiences, and they create content on TikTok to reach younger audiences (interview, 2021). I N FO R M ATI O N D I SO R D ER IN THE GLOBA L SOUTH INNOVATIVE METHODS Yudhanjaya Wijerathne in Sri Lanka stressed the importance of secondary channels in the dissemination of fact checks. Watchdog not only publishes fact checks on the usual channels; it also ensures that the fact checks can be easily shared on direct messaging platforms like WhatsApp. This results in increased visibility and reach, as people who see the original posts on Watchdog’s website or its Facebook or Twitter pages can then support the dissemination of the fact check by sharing it on direct messaging groups. This also helps to create a culture of fact checking and debunking of false information beyond the primary target audience (interview, 2021). Fact checkers and journalists rely on different formats and strategies to get the attention of the public. They use images, catchy headlines, short videos, and infographics to achieve this goal. Additionally, some fact checkers emphasize the use of local languages to reach a wider audience and also ensure that the tone and flow of the language used suit the key demographics (Agarwal and Alsaeedi 2021; Lazer et al. 2018). Asel Sooronbaeva mentioned that her and her team’s practice has evolved from the publication of simple factchecked articles to the use of infographics and videos to reach a wider audience (interview, 2021). Mahoshadi Peiris talked about how Factcheck.lk are using innovative communication tools such as video clips and infographics to reach audiences: “We made a more active effort to change these captions to be more than just a translation, to speak to that audience. And even in terms of repackaging, we’re trying out new videos that we want to put out. Fact checks in video format are easier for people to digest, and maybe different infographics as well” (interview, Peiris, 2021). FUNDING Independent fact-checking organizations rely heavily on international donor organizations to obtain funding for their operations. The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the Open Society Foundation (OSF), the IFCN, Facebook, and Google are some of the most prominent international organizations that provide funding for fact checking. Additionally, as mentioned above, some fact-checking organizations receive funds from their parent companies. We also found Asia – 2 0 4