An independent experimental fact-checking site, exploring and advocating ways to make fact-checking better.
On October 5, 2018 we submitted a complaint through the IFCN noting PolitiFact Missouri’s ruling on a claim from Republican Josh Hawley unduly ignored the precision of Hawley’s statement. This complaint differs from most of the others in that PolitiFact sent a response. It is worth noting that we specifically requested a response in this case. It is also worth…
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We have long criticized PolitiFact for failing to heed reasonable requests for corrections as well as its too-frequent failures to follow its own corrections policies. When the International Fact-Checking Network committed itself to the role of policing signatories to its statement of principles and stated it would accept and review specific complaints about the fact-checking organizations under its umbrella, we…
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On Nov. 14, 2018 we sent a message to PolitiFact regarding an omitted piece of evidence in its “PunditFact” fact check of a claim by Ken Blackwell. As of Sept. 15, 2019 we received no response from PolitiFact and have noted no corrective change to its Aug. 29, 2018 report, though the omitted evidence was reported in the Poynter-owned Tampa…
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On September 20, 2018 we registered a complaint about PolitiFact through the International Fact-Checking Network. A .pdf image of that complaint follows:
On Sept. 3, 2018 we send notice to PolitiFact regarding a mistake in its Aug. 29, 2018 fact check of a claim by President Donald Trump. A .pdf image of that complaint follows. As of this date (Sept. 15, 2019) we have received no response or acknowledgment from PolitiFact and the fact checkers have not addressed the mistake.
On Sept. 25, 20198 (corrected Dec. 17, 2023) we submitted a complaint to the International Fact-Checking Network regarding PolitiFact’s failure to follow an open and honest corrections policy. A .pdf image of that complaint follows.
With the exception of Zebra Fact Check, which features a rating system designed to minimize subjectivity, there are two kinds of fact checkers. The first type follows the FactCheck.org model and offers readers fact-checking and explanatory journalism using a traditional media presentation with text, pictures and graphs.. The second type follows the PolitiFact model, expanding on the FactCheck.org model by…
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What message does it send if the Poynter Institute declines to correct mistakes in its reporting on fact-checking? On July 3, 2019 the International Fact-Checking Network at the Poynter Institute published a review of a Pew Research report on public trust in the media. We flagged an error in Daniela Flamini’s reporting. And with a month having passed, the error…
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It turns out there’s a crisis of trust for fact-checking organizations, at least with respect to the U.S. audience. So far, it seems that fact-checking organizations are content to ignore the problem. After all, they know they are doing a fantastic job fact-checking. So isn’t it just a matter of time before the reliability of fact-checking sinks in with the…
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International Fact-Checking Network Director Baybars Orsek said this week that the IFCN has completed its collection of evidence about charges that fact checker Alt News (India) transgressed the IFCN Code of Principles. Critics charged in June that Alt News broke the code through an executive’s association with a political group. The IFCN requires nonpartisanship from its signatory organizations. The IFCN…
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