Goals: The method aims to introduce the idea and importance of fact-checking.

Human-rights related: Freedom of expression, access to information.

Media: Print, online media.

Length: 1 hour

Tools: Multimedia, internet connection, smartphones with internet.

Preparation: Prepare slides based on information below, print handouts, identify 3-4 news article for use in exercise and print copies of them.

Process: 1. Tutor presents introduction and facilitates a class discussion on the topic (10 mins):

2. Tutor introduces the basic techniques for fact-checking and answers questions from students (20 mins):

3. Tutor facilitates Class Exercise

Exercise (20-25 mins)

Provide students with a short online news article from that day. Get them to (10-15 mins):

1. Identify the facts they think need checking
2. Think about how they would check each fact
3. See if any of the facts are verifiable via the internet using their laptops/smartphones. If not, what next step would they take to check them?

Share ideas/findings amongst the group (10 mins).

Who might have an influence on whether a story is false? (source: IJNet)

• ►  Senior colleagues: Did your editor or a senior editorial figure push this story? If so, why? What was their reason? Don’t presume that a story is legitimate just because it has been handed down to you to follow up.
• ►  News releases: Did the information come from a news release? If so, what is it that the publisher wants to promote or hide? Your job is to reflect all sides of the story.
• ►  Wires: Why did the news agency pick up on that particular point? What’s the reason for putting it out? Did they just regurgitate a press release? You need to uncover all relevant angles to the story.
• ►  General public: Did you get this information directly from a contact? Are they reliable? Are you sure that you are not being used? Could you be too close to them? Have you worked with this contact before? Did you deal with them with integrity? Could they be expecting favours? If so, what did you do to lead them to believe that you could be manipulated?
• ►  Yourself: Sometimes you, the journalist, can be the biggest obstacle to the delivery of reliable information. Be honest about your interests, weaknesses, favouritisms – you may think you are beyond reproach, but if you do have a vested interest it will show through to the audience.
• ►  Being manipulated and not realising it is the biggest danger to fact-checking.

Fact-checking: The basics

Poynter’s 5 top tips for fact-checking:

1. Find at least two sources to verify information. Use reliable sources and websites.
2. Ask the writer for source materials if necessary. Check the text against recordings, documents or notes.
3. Trust your gut. If something seems odd to you, check it. Don’t risk letting a mistake slip through.
4. Don’t assume. Don’t assume that what is written is correct. Don’t assume that something you think you know is correct. Don’t assume that writers and reporters did the math correctly (check all numbers and perform all calculations). Don’t assume that “facts” repeated from other media are accurate.
5. Keep an eye out. Once you find a mistake, you’re not done. There may be another one lurking right behind it. Look over the entire piece with your eagle eye so you are sure to spot all the errors.

Introduction: Why fact-checking is important

Journalists have a great power to influence public opinion and in turn, public policy. The public relies on the media to provide them with fair and transparent coverage of local, national and international affairs, and avoiding the spread of misinformation via scrupulous fact-checking is therefore an essential part of every journalist’s role.

“Your job is to deliver facts to your audience so they can make informed choices. If you deliver lies or distorted facts, you are adding to the confusion rather than clarifying issues. That is not journalism. Accuracy in our fact-checking is at the heart of all we do.” (IJNet)

The negative impacts of the spread of misinformation:

► It can impact democracy by not providing the public with the information they need to construct informed opinions and make informed voting decisions

► It can have a negative impact upon the reputation of the outlet for which you are writing, and upon that of the media industry as a whole, when (not if) the spread of misinformation is uncovered

► It can unfairly impact individuals, organisations and companies when they are misrepresented to the public

Example:
During the 2017 UK general election, the Conservative Party press office tweeted: “Jeremy Corbyn’s plan to pay for elderly care: increasing the basic rate of income tax to 25p for millions of working people #GE2017”

Full Fact, the UK’s independent fact-checking charity, checked this claim and found it to be false. In fact, the Labour Party’s 2017 manifesto states that:
“a Labour government will guarantee no rises in income tax for those earning below £80,000 a year.”

This is a prime example of how the spread of misinformation can impact public opinion and voting decisions, and therefore democracy as a whole.

But where do I check the facts?

► Google search – the most obvious and straightforward way to check facts, but only using reliable websites

► Ask the writer – ask the writer where they got their information, e.g. ask them to share any recordings/documents/notes/etc., to check against the article

► Press releases/PR contacts – if the article is based upon a local incident, there is likely to be a press release from the local authorities confirming the details. If the article covers goings-on within the political or public sphere, for example regarding a certain politician or public figure, a PR contact might be able to confirm details

► Telephone – when possible and appropriate, try contacting the individuals/ organisations involved, or the local authorities. E.g. If an article details a burglary at a local hotel, try calling the local police in the area, or the hotel itself, for confirmation of details