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A presentation delivered at AEJMC 2014, this provides a brief history of fact-checking, and looks at its evolution as a form of journalism. It also offers some guidance on the importance of verification, and why it needs to be taught.
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From Fact-Checking to Verification
@CraigSilvermanEditor, Regret the Error, Poynter
Editor, Verification Handbook
In The Beginning: Magazine Fact-Checking
“Any bright girl who really applies herself to the handling of the checking problem can have a very pleasant time with it and fill the week
with happy moments and memorable occasions” — Edward Kennedy, Time (1920s)
30s to 70s
• New Yorker, Esquire, New York, The Atlantic, Forbes, Fortune, Newsweek etc. add checking departments.
• Closed process.• Job is a stepping stone.
Checker’s Mindset
“I knew nobody would notice the difference. But there’s a certain aesthetic pleasure in just
knowing it’s correct.”
Decline of Checking
• Newsweek eliminates checkers, 1996• Fortune, 1997• Cutbacks and outsourcing
Media Fact-Checking
• Accuracy in Media, 1969• FAIR, 1986• Media Research Center, 1987 (NewsBusters)• Honest Reporting (2000), • CAMERA (1982)• Media Matters for America, 2004
Rise of Political Fact-Checking
• FactCheck.org, 1993• PolitiFact, 2007
Today: Over 40 active fact-checking sites.
Source: https://www.reporterslab.org/duke-study-finds-fact-checking-growing-around-the-world/
Fact-Checkers today
“Fact-checking is a relatively new form of journalism in which reporters research the
accuracy of statements by politicians. In the past, fact-checking was primarily done on
political ads, but it’s been expanded to any kind of statement — speeches, interviews,
press releases, even tweets.”— Bill Adair founder of PolitiFact
New: Networks
Source: Statistica, http://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/
New: Abundance
• 100 hours of video uploaded to YouTube ever minute.
• More than 500 million tweets sent per day.• More than 55 million Instagram photos
uploaded per day.
Social Media/Meme Checking
“Journalism is a discipline of verification”
— The Elements of Journalism
So…
Let’s teach this discipline!
Three Elements
Verification employs a mix of three factors: 1. A person’s resourcefulness, persistence,
skepticism and skill.2. Sources’ knowledge, reliability and honesty, and
the number, variety and reliability of sources you can consult/talk to.
3. Documentation.
Source: Steve Buttry, Verification Handbook
Verification Values
• Restraint.• Discipline.• Multiple sources.• Communication.• Collaboration.
Mindset
• Assume it’s not true.• Skeptical.• Investigator.• Separate emotion and motivation from work.
Core Activities
• Identify and investigate the original source — and interview them.
• Confirm date and time.• Confirm content of the information.• Research similar events, content.• Speak to additional sources. “How do you know
that?”• Triangulate all collected information.• Use tools when possible, but not just tools.
Verification Toolkit
• VerificationHandbook.com• Skype/Phone• Reverse image search• EXIF reader• Google Maps/Earth• Who.is• Spokeo, Pipl.com,WebMii.com• Twitter Advanced Search• YouTube Data Viewer• Izitru
Resources
• VerificationHandbook.com• Coming soon: six free videos on verification,
more case studies.• Citizen Evidence• Bellingcat• Regret the Error
Discussion
• Complete our survey: – http://bitly.com/verificationsurvey
• What are you teaching about verification and fact-checking? What works?
• Why isn’t it being taught?• What can we create to help you teach the
discipline of verification?