Fact-checking

"Factcheck" redirects here. For other uses, see Factcheck (disambiguation).

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Fact-checking is the process of verifying the factual accuracy of questioned reporting and statements. Fact-checking can be conducted before or after the text or content is published or otherwise disseminated. Internal fact-checking is such checking done in-house by the publisher to prevent inaccurate content from being published; when the text is analyzed by a third party, the process is called external fact-checking.[1]

Research suggests that fact-checking can indeed correct perceptions among citizens,[2] as well as discourage politicians from spreading false or misleading claims.[3][4] However, corrections may decay over time or be overwhelmed by cues from elites who promote less accurate claims.[4] Political fact-checking is sometimes criticized as being opinion journalism.[5][6] A review of US politics fact-checkers shows a mixed result of whether fact-checking is an effective way to reduce misconceptions, and whether the method is reliable.[7]

  1. ^ Graves, Lucas; Amazeen, Michelle A. (25 February 2019), "Fact-Checking as Idea and Practice in Journalism", Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.808, ISBN 9780190228613
  2. ^ Drutman, Lee (3 June 2020). "Fact-Checking Misinformation Can Work. But It Might Not Be Enough". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Nyhan, Brendan (13 April 2021). "Why the backfire effect does not explain the durability of political misperceptions". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 118 (15): e1912440117. Bibcode:2021PNAS..11812440N. doi:10.1073/pnas.1912440117. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 8053951. PMID 33837144.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :9 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Nieminen, Sakari; Rapeli, Lauri (19 July 2018). "Fighting Misperceptions and Doubting Journalists' Objectivity: A Review of Fact-checking Literature". Political Studies Review. 17 (3): 296–309. doi:10.1177/1478929918786852. S2CID 150167234. Retrieved 16 July 2022.