Category 5 Hurricane Melissa created a fast-moving, high-risk information environment in Jamaica and the broader Caribbean. Misinformation about hurricane impacts, unverified posts, including AI-generated content, fake donation drives and security incidents reports, have circulated widely, posing risks to public safety, mental wellbeing and trust in the authorities.
In this particular context, the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean, together with the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica, the Caribbean School of Media and Communication at The University of the West Indies, and the Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO, launched Truth Yard on 10 November 2025, as an innovative rapid response fact-checking platform.
The platform is designed to provide accurate and verified information to the media, authorities, and the public, specially in the aftermath of national emergencies such as hurricanes. The initiative is a collaborative effort that brings together regulatory, academic and international expertise to promote dialogue and build collective capacity for responsible communication.
By combining the strengths of each one of the partners, Truth Yard will not only counter misinformation but also serve as a living example of how cooperation can strengthen media resilience, enhance public trust and, at the same time, safeguard information integrity in times of crisis. Truth Yard will operate with an on-site core team in Jamaica's capital, Kingston.
The team will continuously monitor social media, television, radio and other channels, searching potential instances of misinformation. Reports will be received and assessed, verified in coordination with experts, national authorities including disaster management agencies and health services, then disseminated to help journalists and broadcasters debunk false claims.
UNESCO aims to expand the platform in the coming months to engage a wider network of media partners across the Caribbean. The Organization will systematically document operational workflows, challenges, and best practices to create a robust knowledge base that can inform and support replication in other Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Read more: UNESCO
