Media Manipulation and Bias Detection
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Media Manipulation and Bias Detection
Auto-Improving with AI and User Feedback
HonestyMeter - AI powered bias detection
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Lasha Farulava / UNM opposition narrative (government guilty of fraudulent scheme and corruption)
Caution! Due to inherent human biases, it may seem that reports on articles aligning with our views are crafted by opponents. Conversely, reports about articles that contradict our beliefs might seem to be authored by allies. However, such perceptions are likely to be incorrect. These impressions can be caused by the fact that in both scenarios, articles are subjected to critical evaluation. This report is the product of an AI model that is significantly less biased than human analyses and has been explicitly instructed to strictly maintain 100% neutrality.
Nevertheless, HonestyMeter is in the experimental stage and is continuously improving through user feedback. If the report seems inaccurate, we encourage you to submit feedback , helping us enhance the accuracy and reliability of HonestyMeter and contributing to media transparency.
Presenting serious allegations or factual assertions without providing evidence, verification, or clear sourcing.
Examples: 1) "სავარაუდოდ ლევან დავითაშვილის გამოკითხვის ოქმი გააგზავნეს ევროსტრუქტურებში" – The article headline and lead repeat a serious claim (that Davitashvili’s interrogation protocol was sent to EU structures) based solely on an opposition politician’s assumption ("სავარაუდოდ"), without any corroborating evidence or comment from relevant institutions. 2) "ქარხანა, რომელიც არ არსებობს, თვეში 60 მილიონის ნავთობპროდუქტს აგზავნის ევროპაში. საბოლოო ჯაში დადასტურდა, რომ ეს არის რუსული სანქცირებული პროდუქტი." – Very strong factual claims (non‑existent plant exporting 60 million worth of oil products monthly; confirmation that it is sanctioned Russian product) are reported as fact via quotation, but the article does not indicate who confirmed this, when, or on what basis. 3) "თაღლითური სქემა"; "ამაზე მეტი კორუფცია და ინტერესთა შეუთავსებლობა რა არის?" – The article relays accusations of fraud and corruption as quotes, but does not provide legal findings, investigations, or independent expert assessments to substantiate them.
Explicitly attribute all contested statements as allegations or opinions, not as established facts (e.g., "ფარულავას თქმით, სავარაუდოდ..." in the headline and lead).
Add information about whether any official investigation, court case, or EU/Georgian institutional statement confirms or disputes the claims about a "ფიქტიური" plant, export volumes, and Russian origin of products.
Specify sources for quantitative and factual claims (e.g., who calculated "თვეში 60 მილიონის" exports, which body "დადასტურდა" the Russian origin, provide links or references if available).
Include a clear distinction in wording between allegations ("ამტკიცებს", "ამტკიცებს, რომ", "ამას მიიჩნევს") and verified facts ("დადასტურდა", "ოფიციალური დოკუმენტებით დასტურდება").
Use of emotionally charged or value-laden terms that predispose the reader to a particular judgment.
The article heavily features loaded language from the quoted politician, without contextual balancing: - "თაღლითური სქემა" (fraudulent scheme) - "ფიქტიური მშენებლობაა, იქ არაფერი არ მუშაობს, არანაირი ქარხანა არ არსებობს" (fictional construction, nothing works, no plant exists) - "ამაზე მეტი კორუფცია და ინტერესთა შეუთავსებლობა რა არის?" (what could be more corrupt and conflicting of interest than this?) These phrases are strong value judgments and accusations. The article reproduces them prominently, including in the framing of the piece, without parallel neutral or government language, which amplifies the bias.
Clearly mark such phrases as the speaker’s characterization (e.g., "ფარულავა ამას 'თაღლითურ სქემად' მოიხსენიებს" rather than repeating the term as if it were a neutral description).
Balance charged quotes with neutral descriptions of the same events (e.g., describe the licensing and project in factual terms before or after the quote).
Include any available neutral or opposing characterizations from government, company, or independent experts to counterbalance the emotive language.
Avoid echoing loaded terms in the journalist’s own narrative voice; keep them inside quotation marks and attribute them explicitly.
Presenting one side’s narrative extensively while giving little or no space to other relevant perspectives.
The article is almost entirely built around Lasha Farulava’s perspective and accusations: - Detailed recounting of his claims about the plant being fictitious, the scheme being fraudulent, the product being Russian and sanctioned, and Davitashvili’s alleged conflict of interest. - The government’s or Davitashvili’s response to these specific accusations is not presented at all. - SOCAR and the Azerbaijani government are mentioned only as allegedly having provided more evidence to EU partners, but their own direct statements or positions are not quoted. - The EU side is represented only by a brief mention of David O’Sullivan’s letter about not including the terminal in the sanctions package, without further explanation of the EU’s reasoning or any comment on the alleged scheme. The only partial balance is an external link/teaser: "არ არსებობს არანაირი მტკიცებულება, რაც გაამართლებდა ევროკავშირის სანქციების პაკეტში ყულევის ყოფნას" – but this is not integrated into the main text and does not directly address the corruption/fraud allegations.
Include direct responses or comments from Levan Davitashvili, the Georgian government, or relevant ministries regarding the specific accusations (fictitious plant, fraudulent scheme, conflict of interest).
Add statements from SOCAR and/or the Azerbaijani government, not only as described by Farulava, but in their own words about the terminal and alleged scheme.
Expand on the EU’s position by summarizing key points from David O’Sullivan’s letter and, if available, other EU communications about why the terminal was not sanctioned.
Integrate the counter‑view (e.g., the claim that there is no evidence justifying sanctions) into the main body of the article, not only as a separate link, and present it with similar prominence.
Clearly label the piece as an interview or opinion‑heavy report if full balancing is not possible, so readers understand the genre.
Using emotionally charged framing to provoke indignation or moral outrage rather than focusing on evidence.
Phrases like "ამაზე მეტი კორუფცია და ინტერესთა შეუთავსებლობა რა არის?" and the depiction of a "ფიქტიური" plant sending large volumes of sanctioned Russian oil to Europe are framed to provoke strong moral outrage. The narrative suggests a dramatic betrayal and large‑scale corruption without providing detailed evidence, timelines, or documentation. The repetition of how the Georgian side "თვითონ შექმნა ეს პრობლემა" also reinforces a blame‑focused emotional framing.
Complement emotionally charged accusations with concrete, verifiable details: contracts, dates, company structures, customs data, or official documents, where available.
Use more neutral wording in the journalist’s narrative and reserve emotional language for clearly attributed quotes.
Add context about legal standards for corruption and conflict of interest, and whether any formal findings have been made, to shift focus from emotion to facts.
Clarify uncertainties (e.g., use "ამტკიცებს", "ამას მიიჩნევს" instead of categorical language) to reduce emotional absolutism.
A headline that emphasizes speculation or unverified claims in a way that can mislead readers into treating them as established facts.
Headline: "ყულევთან დაკავშირებით ევროსტრუქტურებში, სავარაუდოდ, ლევან დავითაშვილის გამოკითხვის ოქმი გააგზავნეს" - ლაშა ფარულავა. Although the word "სავარაუდოდ" (presumably) is present, the structure of the headline foregrounds a concrete action (sending Davitashvili’s interrogation protocol to EU structures) and only attributes it to Farulava at the end. Many readers may skim and come away with the impression that this is a reported fact, not a single politician’s speculation. The article body does not provide independent confirmation of this claim.
Rephrase the headline to clearly mark the claim as an allegation or opinion, e.g.: "ლაშა ფარულავას თქმით, სავარაუდოდ, ევროსტრუქტურებში ლევან დავითაშვილის გამოკითხვის ოქმი გააგზავნეს".
Add a subheadline or lead clarifying that there is no official confirmation of the protocol being sent, and that this is based on the opposition politician’s assessment.
Avoid presenting speculative procedural claims (about EU structures receiving specific documents) as the main factual hook of the article unless corroborated by additional sources.
Selecting information that supports one narrative while omitting relevant context or counter‑evidence.
The article: - Highlights Farulava’s narrative that the plant is fictitious and the scheme fraudulent, and that the EU was convinced by SOCAR/Azerbaijan rather than Georgia. - Mentions only briefly that the EU did not include the terminal in the sanctions package, but does not explore the EU’s reasoning, criteria, or any evidence that led to this decision. - Does not mention whether there are official Georgian or EU investigations, audits, or public documents that might support or contradict the allegations. - Refers to another piece ("არ არსებობს არანაირი მტკიცებულება, რაც გაამართლებდა ევროკავშირის სანქციების პაკეტში ყულევის ყოფნას") but does not summarize its content, leaving readers with a stronger impression of the accusatory narrative than of the exculpatory one.
Include key points from the foreign minister’s or other officials’ statements that argue there is no evidence for including Kulevi in sanctions, and place them near the accusations for direct comparison.
Provide any available information about inspections, audits, or monitoring of the Kulevi terminal and the alleged plant, including findings that may contradict or nuance Farulava’s claims.
Clarify what is known and unknown about the plant’s actual operational status, ownership structure, and export data, rather than only repeating the most dramatic elements.
If such information is not available, explicitly state that it is unknown or not publicly documented, so readers understand the limits of current knowledge.
Using references to respected actors or groups to bolster a claim without providing the underlying evidence.
Farulava’s statement: "უფრო მეტი ფაქტები და მტკიცებულებები გაუზიარა ევროპელ პარტნიორებს აზერბაიჯანის მთავრობამ და „სოკარმა“, ვიდრე ქართულმა მხარემ" implies that because SOCAR and the Azerbaijani government provided more evidence to EU partners, their position is more credible. However, the article does not show what those facts and evidence are. The reference to EU structures and their decision not to sanction the terminal is also used implicitly to support the idea that the problem was created by the Georgian side, without detailing the EU’s actual reasoning.
When citing that SOCAR or the Azerbaijani government provided more evidence, specify what kind of evidence (documents, data, statements) and, if possible, summarize its content.
Clarify that the EU’s decision not to sanction the terminal does not automatically confirm all of Farulava’s interpretations; present the EU’s stated reasons, if available.
Avoid implying that the mere involvement of EU structures or foreign governments proves the correctness of one side’s narrative; instead, focus on the substance of their documented positions.
Drawing broad conclusions from limited or not fully presented evidence, simplifying complex issues into a single cause or blame.
Statements like "რატომ? იმიტომ, რომ ქართულმა მხარემ თვითონ შექმნა ეს პრობლემა, თვითონ წამოიწყო თაღლითური სქემა" reduce a complex international sanctions and energy‑trade issue to a single cause: an alleged fraudulent scheme by the Georgian side. The article does not explore alternative explanations, structural factors, or other actors’ roles. Similarly, the conclusion that appointing Davitashvili as chair of the supervisory board is automatically "ამაზე მეტი კორუფცია და ინტერესთა შეუთავსებლობა" is presented without examining legal frameworks, standard practices, or comparative examples.
Present Farulava’s causal claims explicitly as his interpretation and add that other explanations or contributing factors may exist.
Include context about how sanctions decisions are typically made, what criteria are used, and what other factors might have influenced the EU’s decision.
Provide information on legal standards for conflict of interest and whether Davitashvili’s appointment has been formally assessed under those standards.
Avoid categorical language that attributes the entire problem to a single cause without exploring complexity or uncertainty.
- This is an EXPERIMENTAL DEMO version that is not intended to be used for any other purpose than to showcase the technology's potential. We are in the process of developing more sophisticated algorithms to significantly enhance the reliability and consistency of evaluations. Nevertheless, even in its current state, HonestyMeter frequently offers valuable insights that are challenging for humans to detect.