When politicians make unsubstantiated claims, people want to know if they’re right. That’s where fact check comes in. Fact-checking helps people separate truth from falsehood, and can foster critical thinking. And it’s important, especially in places where democracy is fragile.
According to a count by the Duke Reporters’ Lab, 443 active fact-checking projects operate worldwide. Some, like the Poynter Institute’s International Fact-Checking Network, have been around for years. But others, such as the Madison-based Wisconsin Watch, are just getting started.
Some of these groups use tagging systems, such as ClaimReview for text-based claims and MediaReview for images, videos and memes. Using these tags, facts are marked up with a description of the claim, a date when it was made and the assessment (whether it is true, false or partly true).
Despite the popularity of these tools, there is little organized collaboration among fact-checkers. Some groups cite each other when they see recycled claims, but most don’t coordinate in advance or share data. That’s a shame, because the potential is huge:
For example, some state partners of PolitiFact produce structured “fact briefs” that answer yes/no questions. These are popular with audiences, but few local and state press organizations have the staff or technological savvy to experiment with new formats on their own. The Reporters’ Lab is working to change that by helping them get access to shared data, such as the tagged claims in the ClaimReview explorer. We also provide technical support and training.