Data and privacy FAQ

Meedan’s data sharing settings and privacy settings are (and will always be) squarely opt-in when it comes to data sharing. That means data from our users and partners is only shared if they voluntarily agree to have information shared with others for a specific, clear purpose.

We also use industry-leading security measures, including data encryption at rest and in transit, and limiting access to data. 

Meedan also trains employees on data privacy best practices and has established policies to ensure that all customer information is handled securely.

While our privacy policy provides the formal terms for how we collect, use, and protect the information that you provide to us, this FAQ serves as an overview of some common concerns. Please email us at hello@meedan.org if you have any questions. 

When I add content to Check, does my organization retain control of that data?

Yes, your organization controls your data.

Will this Check be hosted on servers outside the EU?

No, all Check data is hosted in Ireland, without exception. 

Can Meedan distribute or sell my data to third parties without my consent?

No. Your data will only be shared with your explicit consent. Additionally, we only seek revenue sharing opportunities with your explicit consent and input on the terms of such agreements, including pricing and acceptable uses of the data.

How will my data be protected legally?

We have two legally binding documents that our users agree to before using our software, Check. 

1. Check software license agreement. This is a standard agreement that describes general product support, service levels, and response times, as well as payment terms. 
2. Data Processing Agreement (DPA), which articulates that the Check workspace owner (the partner) is the data controller, and Meedan is the data processor.

Meedan may develop additional legal agreements or structures in order to ensure your data is protected and terms are clear for new scenarios that may come up.

What kind of data will be visible to other Check users?

All participants in Check can decide what data they want to share with other Check users. You may opt-in to sharing data including:

• All links, videos, audio, or text media shared by any users on participating tiplines
• If a fact-checker has identified the claim contained in a media, the description of that claim (the identification of the claim is a new feature in Check)
• The number of requests for those media and claims (never any information about the requesters)
• Published fact-checks and associated metadata (title, summary, article link, rating)
• Tags, annotation
• A flag indicating which newsroom has fact-checked that claim and link to published fact-checks on newsroom websites (but the content of the fact-check will not be shared directly on Check)

What happens to my data if I stop using Check and delete my workspace?

When a workspace is deleted, all the data in that workspace, such as fact-checks, tipline data, and any other work, is deleted.

When a user deletes their individual account we permanently delete personally identifiable information about the user. We retain data that the user created in the workspace.

We will NEVER share any personal information including details such as telephone numbers and account names beyond a workspace.