Real Fact-Checking is Humble

Journalists, NGOs, and free speech lovers around the world understand that fact checking has, in the past, been tied to demands for censorship. Now a growing number of us are seeking to tie fact-checking to demands for greater freedom of speech.

Modern, mainstream fact-checkers pose a serious challenge to journalistic integrity, even for those with the best of intentions. The pursuit of ad revenue can subtly influence editorial decisions, as media outlets may prioritize content that pleases advertisers over impartial reporting. Worse, as citizens are increasingly empowered to express themselves on social media, the political elite are tempted to exaggerate or out-right lie as their corruption comes to light. And government agencies are increasingly attempting to influence or manipulate news and social media platforms to shape public opinion to escape accountability.  

Let's face it, the record of fact-checkers of late isn't great. From Covid's origins to the Hunter Biden laptop to climate change, mainstream fact-checkers have gotten big issues wrong. Even Meta’s trusted “third-party” fact-checkers and IFCN signatories were forced to end contracts over their censorship revealed in SkyNews’ fact-check files. 

Yet that's a reason to make fact-checking better, not abandon it entirely. We believe corruption shouldn’t push us to reject the idea that facts, truth, and objectivity do matter in our human experience. People care about knowing the truth and deserve access to accurate reporting, and that’s exactly why we started the Fact Check Alliance.

Our Method

We recognize that there is no such thing as values neutral fact-checking. We are humans and have unique opinions and ideological perspectives embedded in our values, conceptions about human nature, and hopes for society’s future. 

At the same time, we can also value truth, accuracy, and fact-checking. We believe that we have, as reporters, an obligation to serve as watchdogs over powerful institutions and individuals. We believe it’s in the public interest for issues affecting the public to be reported upon. That’s the work of fact-checking.

We seek to be aware of our assumptions and test them through fair and accurate reporting. In both news and opinion articles, we seek to “steel-man” two or more sides, making and answering the best possible argument of the other side. 

We are humbled by past mistakes. We not only recognize them, we discuss them openly, as EP’s founder has done across two major books.

It is from this experience and this values commitment that we strive for accuracy as we recognize that we are subjective and fallible human beings who are prone to confirmation bias.

This is the kind of values commitment we are looking for from fact-checking and journalistic partners around the world, as we create our own fact-checking network to counter the censorious ones.

Our Values:

Integrity

We are committed to honesty, authenticity, and accountability, and we hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards in all aspects of our work. We treat those we disagree with with respect and fairness, and argue based on facts and evidence in pursuit of the truth. We do not compromise our principles for short-term gain and remain true to our nonpartisan purpose in the face of external pressures.

Humility

Humans are fallible and so we are fallible. When we are wrong we admit it by writing about it and speaking about it, which is a core EP practice and value. We approach our work in a spirit of open inquiry. We think about psychology because it reminds us of our blind spots. Of how we are motivated to reinforce existing beliefs and are thus biased against evidence that disconfirms our beliefs. We thus seek to debate our opponents rather than seek to discredit, dismiss, or defame them. 

Objectivity

We affirm that objectivity, facts and truth are significant and important to the human experience. We reject the notion that “everything is subjective.” While we may not always understand the truth, a civilization can only aspire to it by hosting open, free and lively public discourse amongst human beings. No single fact-checking body, machine or scholar is capable of prescribing objectivity to the entire world. Truth can only be found through rigorous debate, sustained by ruthlessly questioning our ideas, institutions, and fellow citizens or public servants.