An independent experimental fact-checking site, exploring and advocating ways to make fact-checking better.
When PolitiFact Health Check published a fact check that took President Trump out of context at least three separate times in the service of a misleading narrative, we asked PolitiFact to fix the problem. PolitiFact has apparently made no move to fix its fact check or reply to our critique. Correction May 21, 2020: Tweaked the title to read “March…
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PolitiFact, and particularly PolitiFact North Carolina, have done a poor job reporting the issue of legal protections for persons with pre-existing conditions seeking health insurance. A fact check from PolitiFact North Carolina made it sound like repeal of the Affordable Care Act could end “coverage” for people with pre-existing conditions. In fact, it would have ended the ACA’s particular protections…
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Recently we chanced on the Science Feedback evaluation at Media Bias/Fact Check, a website that uses subjective ratings to score the bias and accuracy of various websites (including Zebra Fact Check). Apparently blinded by “Science,” Media Bias/Fact Check gave Science Feedback its highest rating for factual accuracy. Indeed, Media Bias/Fact Check proclaimed Science Feedback a “Pro-Science” source. Yet in 2019…
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We contacted Media Bias/Fact Check’s creator, Dave Van Zandt, for background information contributing to our commentary article “Media Bias/Fact Check Blinded by Science Feedback.”
A pair of April 3, 2020 fact checks from CNN cry out for critical attention. CNN produced two versions of the same fact check, one in video format and the other in text, where both contain flaws and one disagrees with the other. Both fact checks looked at President Trump’s April 1, 2020 claim about the effectiveness of scarves compared…
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If the International Fact-Checking Network had a transparent complaint system, we could use it instead of memory to confirm the complaint was sent on Oct. 7, 2019. We composed the complaint document on Oct. 7, 2019. It was likely sent the same day or very soon after.
This week PolitiFact, with its franchise partner Kaiser Health News, published what was, in effect, a fact check of a prediction by President Barack Obama. “PolitiFact Health Check” awarded Mr. Obama a “True” rating for his prediction. Spoiler: For good reason, fact checkers usually try to avoid doing fact checks on predictions. A Trump Lawsuit Seeking to Overturn the ACA?…
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For whatever reason, we encounter very few examples of Facebook’s fact-checking effort while using Facebook. An example today renews our concerns about that effort, with the system flagging a picture the fact-checking system associated with false content. “See Why”? Let’s. The photo of two women wearing facemasks supposedly counts as false information because a “Viral poem about staying home was…
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In December 2019 verified signatories of the International Fact-Checking Network’s Code of Principles voted on some revisions to the Code of Principles. In April 2020 the IFCN updated its website describing its code, unveiling the new version to the public. Zebra Fact Check issued a signing statement relating to the original code, affirming the parts we approved and stating the…
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Today for the first time we reported a post on Facebook as “False News.” The Facebook post was from PolitiFact Wisconsin, linking a Feb. 28, 2020, fact check of a claim from Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.). As pointed out in a post at PolitiFactBias.com by this author, the Pocan fact check claims real wages have increased while failing to keep…
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