Fact check is the process of verifying and identifying misleading or false statements. It is an important skill for critical thinking.
A major challenge of the digital age is misinformation. Misinformation is spread through news and social media and can be incredibly difficult to correct, especially as it is often framed in ways that support people’s existing beliefs or worldviews.
Many large media organizations have dedicated teams who are trained to delve into information and fact-check quickly. There are also independent bodies, such as Full Fact in the UK or Snopes, which provide a detailed and thorough service.
Individual readers can also perform some forms of fact-checking. For example, they can compare claims from one story against claims in another to check for accuracy. They can also use tools such as Google Reverse Image Search to see if an image has been edited or manipulated in some way.
While there is a lot of overlap between verification and fact checking, they are not the same thing. Verification is a journalistic technique that is used in all sorts of media, including fact checking, to ensure the accuracy of a statement. To learn more about verification, you can watch the Crash Course video below or visit our specialized guide.