Fact-Checking Methodology
Claim isolation, reverse image search, archive.today, FactCheck.org workflow.
Workflow
Isolate the claim
Most 'news' is bundles — event description + interpretation + implication. Good fact-checking extracts a single verifiable claim at a time.
Key Points
- Rewrite the claim in a single declarative sentence.
- Identify what would falsify it — the falsification test.
- Separate the facts from the framing around them.
Find the original source
Don't fact-check the fact-check. Go upstream.
Key Points
- News story cites a study? Open the study itself.
- Quote attributed to a politician? Find the video or transcript.
- Statistic cited? Track it to the government or academic dataset.
- Image? Reverse image search (see below).
Triangulate
No single source is enough. Two or three independent confirmations is the minimum for important claims.
Key Points
- Wire services (AP, Reuters, AFP) agree → confident in the basic fact.
- Only one outlet reporting exclusively → verify carefully.
- Government source + independent source corroborating → strong.
- Social media + anonymous source → weak, often wrong.
Tools
Reverse image search
Key Points
- Google Images: drag and drop or right-click 'Search image.'
- TinEye: alternative index, sometimes finds older copies.
- Yandex: often best for faces and non-Western sources.
- InVID browser extension: reverse search + video frame extraction + metadata.
Archives
Content gets deleted. Screenshots can be faked. Archives provide permanence and provenance.
Key Points
- archive.today: instantly saves a snapshot of a URL.
- Wayback Machine (archive.org): deeper history, sometimes sparser.
- Google cache is mostly gone as of 2024.
- Screenshot + timestamp + archive URL = strong evidence.
Open-source investigation
Key Points
- Geolocation: Bellingcat's Online Investigations Toolkit is the gold standard.
- Flight tracking: ADS-B Exchange, FlightRadar24.
- Ship tracking: MarineTraffic, VesselFinder.
- Satellite imagery: Sentinel Hub (free), Planet Labs (subscription), Maxar (professional).
- Weather verification: WolframAlpha or historical weather services to confirm conditions at claimed time/place.
Professional Fact-Checkers
IFCN-signatory organizations
Poynter's International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) certifies organizations that meet nonpartisan and transparency standards.
Key Points
- FactCheck.org (Annenberg).
- PolitiFact (Poynter).
- Snopes.
- Reuters Fact Check, AP Fact Check, AFP Fact Check.
- Full Fact (UK).
- Chequeado (Argentina, Latin America).
- BoomLive, Alt News, Factly (India).
Reading a fact-check
Key Points
- Rating scales vary. PolitiFact: True / Mostly True / Half True / Mostly False / False / Pants on Fire.
- Context matters — 'mostly true' can be misleading if the significant bit is false.
- Always read to the end; the nuance is usually in the final paragraphs.
FAQ
Can I trust AI-generated fact-checks?
Mixed. LLMs hallucinate but can direct you to good sources. Use them to generate leads, not verdicts. Always verify the AI's cited sources exist and say what the AI claims.
How long does a fact-check take?
Simple claims: minutes. Complex claims: hours or days. Viral videos often require 3-4 hour investigations for geolocation + metadata + source identification.
Continue learning
Explore related MUN guides to deepen your skills.