The effectiveness of fact-checking is inconsistent and dependent on various factors, including the viewer's location, age, political leaning, and level of digital engagement. While some studies suggest that fact-checking can reduce false beliefs, others indicate that efforts to combat misinformation, such as Facebook's policies against Covid-19 misinformation, may not be as effective as hoped. The article also highlights concerns about the future of fact-checking, with tech companies potentially reducing their support for such initiatives and the rise of artificial intelligence presenting new challenges.
Key takeaways:
- The momentum behind organizations that aim to combat online falsehoods has started to taper off, with the number of fact-checking operations at news organizations and elsewhere stagnating or even falling.
- Fact-checking efforts have not significantly changed the number of Americans who believe false narratives about election fraud, according to a poll from Monmouth University.
- Fact-checking organizations are facing increasing harassment and personal threats, and are becoming more dependent on social media companies for financial support.
- Artificial intelligence is being tested as a tool to quickly parse the enormous volume of false information, but it has a shaky track record with truth, often making mistakes or arriving at different conclusions from human fact checkers.