What is Décodex?

The Décodex is a tool that helps check theinformation circulating on the Internet and find therumors, exaggerations or deformations.

Décodex is made of four main elements:• A web browser extension which signals in real

time whether a website is rather reliable or if itregularly disseminates false information;

• A search engine on Le Monde’s website to checkthe reliability of a website;

• A Facebook bot with which users can talk to inthe Facebook chat window or the Messengerapplication. The robot will help to verify theinformation;

• Pedagogical articles, especially for teachers,where users can find tips to differentiate betweeninformation and a source of information, tips forverifying information, images or videos thatcirculate on the Internet, etc.

How does Décodex work?

Décodex contains approximately 600 informationwebsites in its database. The tool can give threetypes of warning:

How can Décodex contribute to media literacy?

In a context where ‘fake news’ are becoming moreand more common, Décodex is designed to helpuser understand who is sharing the informationthey read.

Décodex is meant as a tool to give the means for allusers to be aware of the type of website they arebrowsing: a news website, a parodic one, or amisleading one held by a militant group.One of the objective is to participate in nationaleducation effort to give students the keys to acritical and distanced reading of what is dailypublished on television or social networks. To doso, pedagogical sheets have been created,explaining the importance to check an informationbefore sharing, the way to judge the reliability of awebsite, etc.In addition, journalists from Le Monde have offeredto intervene in classrooms based on these sheets,to explain their job in order to demystify aprofession that is so visible and so little known.

This website relays a significant numberof fake facts and/or misleading articles.Stay aware, and cross check with morereliable sources . If possible, go back tothe primary sources.

This warning is meant for websites which areregularly unreliable, and encourages prudentbehavior.

Be prudent and cross check informationwith other sources. If possible, go back tothe primary source

This message is applied to website which can bemisleading (sources not mentioned, hiddenmilitancy, etc.). This does not mean allinformation on them is false, but that they shouldbe carefully read.

Beware, this is a satirical or parodicwebsite which isn’t designed to relay realinformation. Do not take it literally.

Contact information: http://www.lemonde.fr/verification/