JOURNAL

Redefining objectivity: Exploring types of evidence by fact-checkers in four European countries

Regina Cazzamatta | European Journal of Communication

This article examines the types of evidence used by fact checkers in four European countries – Germany, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom. Researchers identified different types of documentational evidence, including statements, documentation and digital forensic tools, using them to identify differences in their usage depending on the country. Their findings showed that in countries with high political polarization, like Spain, digital forensic tools were used more often by fact-checkers to combat disinformation online. Meanwhile, in countries with increased journalistic standards like Germany, fact-checkers combined different approaches to confirm the validity of news. Finally, fact checking performed by public service broadcasters had the highest degree of hard research and complexity, especially in comparison to international news agencies, which frequently relied on denials from interested parties in press releases.