An independent experimental fact-checking site, exploring and advocating ways to make fact-checking better.
“Organizing for Action said that Rubio ‘refuses to accept the basic science’ on climate change and is ‘a climate change denier.’ … We rate the statement ‘Mostly True.’” —PolitiFact, Aug. 16, 2013 Overview PolitiFact’s ruling defies logic and sets aside its own standards. The Facts PolitiFact used an email from OFA’s Ivan Frishman as the subject of its fact…
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“Contradicting Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation, a study from the RAND Corporation reports that the Affordable Care Act is unlikely to cause a hike in premiums for the individual market in this state or nationally.” —Carol Gentry, Florida Health News, Aug. 30, 2013 Overview Florida Health News‘ Carol Gentry lacks balance with her reporting on a RAND study looking…
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Last week, we published a fact check of a new Organizing For Action campaign designed to expose Republican “climate change deniers” in Congress. One of the features of OFA’s attack ad was its claim of a 97 percent consensus among scientists on climate change. We noticed a few problems with the support typically offered with that and similar claims, and…
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“The national science academies of every major country in the world have confirmed that climate change is real. NASA and 97 percent of scientists confirm that climate change is real. But 135 members of Congress are in denial.” —Organizing For Action (formerly Organizing For America), Aug. 13, 2013 Overview We find at least one significant error in every sentence….
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“Barack Obama said the deficit has fallen at the fastest rate in 60 years. … the president used an acceptable approach and his numbers are accurate. There are no statistical tricks in play.” —PolitiFact Overview Eyes wide open, PolitiFact falls for the oldest statistical tricks in the book. The Facts President Obama made the speech containing his reference to…
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“Today, our businesses have created 7.3 million new jobs over the last 41 months. We now sell more products made in America to the rest of the world than ever before. We produce more renewable energy than ever, and more natural gas than anyone. Health care costs are growing at the slowest rate in 50 years. And our deficits are…
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“Palin said she was banned from talking about one-time domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, but the record shows the complete and utter opposite.” —PolitiFact, July 26, 2013 Overview PolitiFact’s conclusion lacks a basis in logic. The Facts On July 26, 2013, PolitiFact published a fact check of a statement by John McCain’s 2008 vice-presidential running mate, Sarah Palin. Palin, appearing…
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This site has joined the Report an Error Alliance. Members agree to prominently post reminders for readers to report any errors they see. That reminder helps remind readers, in turn, that the site’s proprietors value accuracy. The Alliance encourages members to download and use its icons. We’ve taken the liberty of modifying an icon (the originals come from Mignon Khargie)…
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On July 19, 2013 the Washington Post Fact Checker, Glenn Kessler, published a fact check of President Obama’s claim that the ACA’s medical loss ratio rules saved consumers $3.4 billion. That interested us, for we fact checked a version of the same claim coming from Consumer Reports. Finding other fact checkers investigating similar claims provides an opportunity to see how…
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On July 14, 2013, we published a fact check of a claim from Consumer Reports’ website about the supposed savings for medical insurance consumers as a result of the health care reform bill, the Affordable Care Act. The fact check omitted a significant aspect of the story and reached some false conclusions about writer Nancy Metcalf’s story, including “Metcalf misrepresents…
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