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Zebra Fact Check noticed a fine case of inconsistent methodology from the fact checkers at PolitiFact. As correction requests go, this one counts as ill-defined. We point out the inconsistency but do not suggest how PolitiFact might fix the problem, for the problem of inconsistency forms a veritable spider’s web of problems with PolitiFact’s fact-checking. In response to our email…
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After PolitiFact failed to respond to a correction request we sent on Dec. 20, 2022, Zebra Fact Check submitted a formal complaint to the International Fact-Checking Network on Jan. 10, 2023.
When PolitiFact Wisconsin perpetuated PolitiFact’s inconsistent approach to rating claims about the gender pay gap with a Dec. 16, 2022 fact check of Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Zebra Fact Check sent a correction request. As of this date (Jan. 10, 2023), we have noted no effort by PolitiFact or PolitiFact Wisconsin to address its inconsistency. PolitiFact acknowledged our request with its…
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“Lord knows the decision about a Truth-O-Meter rating is entirely subjective.” –Bill Adair, 2016 “It’s not as subjective as some people think.” –Bill Adair, 2022 When we first encountered PolitiFact in late 2007, we immediately noticed the apparent subjectivity of its trademarked “Truth-O-Meter.” We thereafter realized their aggregated ratings could easily mislead people. And we realized the ratings were opinion,…
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Popular mainstream fact checker PolitiFact published an article on Nov. 14, 2022 flatly proclaiming Donald Trump counts as the least accurate politician it has ever covered. The claim creates a problem for PolitiFact, for an objective proof of “least accurate” presents an exceptionally tall order. If PolitFact lacks that proof then its article ends up expressing a derogatory opinion about…
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When PolitiFact failed to respond to our correction/revision request by clarifying, correcting or revising its supposedly unbiased yet apparently unsupported claim that Donald Trump counts as the least accurate politician it has ever covered, Zebra Fact Check submitted a formal complaint to the International Fact-Checking Network.
When PolitiFact took no corrective action in response to our November 12 revision/correction request respecting a PolitiFact Virginia fact check from Nov. 11, 2022, Zebra Fact Check submitted a formal complaint to the International Fact-Checking Network.
PolitiFact published an article on Nov. 14, 2022 bearing the title “Donald Trump, the least accurate politician we’ve ever covered, eyes another White House run.” The article later similarly claimed “Trump has the worst record of any politician fact-checked by PolitiFact.” Given that PolitiFact does not rate politicians using a randomly selected set of stories and uses subjective judgments to…
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A PolitiFact Virginia fact check from Nov. 11, 2022 featured a substantial hole in its reasoning, so on Nov. 12 (after using Twitter to flag the issue) Zebra Fact Check sent PolitiFact a description of the problem and two potential avenues it might take toward fixing it. PolitiFact promptly responded with its standard response email.
In August 2022 Zebra Fact Check sent an email to the International Fact-Checking Network and Poynter Institute president Neal Brown asking why the IFCN does not answer our inquiries (giving two examples). A long email exchange eventually ensued, which we document here with the exception of one email specified as off-the-record and our response to that email. We are not…
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