In recent decades, the fact that many journalists took on the task of fact-checking themselves changed the nature of the work, while the internet and the rise of misinformation brought a new need for accuracy checking, especially in politics. Platforms like Snopes and FactCheck.org emerged to analyze public claims, while classic fact-checking journalism continued to evolve.
Women: Pioneers of Fact-Checking
that from the publication of the first issue of TEAM By 1923, fact-checking had gone from an unknown concept to standard practice in many American magazines. While editors and reporters had always aimed for accuracy, the rise of investigative journalism and the professionalization of the industry in the early 20th century brought a greater focus on facts. Initiatives like the 1913 Bureau of Accuracy and Fair Play in New York World aimed at correcting errors, but had not yet focused on preventing them before publication. It was TEAM who came out on top, recruiting people dedicated to checking articles before publication.
One of the earliest uses of the term "fact checker" is found in in a magazine advertisement TEAM from the year 1938, which mentions the expansion of the team of “researchers and fact-checkers” from ten to twenty-two people.
Nancy Ford was the first fact-checker in TEAM and consulted extensively at the information desk at the New York Public Library for her work. Until the 1930s, “verifiers” were composed exclusively of young women, fresh out of college. Their research work was rigorous and involved “surveilling a story,” ensuring that every detail was accurate and included in the final version of the article. If errors were made, the responsibility usually fell on the female proofreaders, not the male authors of the articles.
In 1971, after women in Newsweek filed a successful lawsuit with the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against gender segregation in the magazine's research departments, the TEAM was rewritten to reflect these changes in the workplace. Fact-checkers were renamed “investigative journalists” and the position was opened up to men. In the following decades, fact-checkers’ duties gradually evolved: reporters began to…
Only after a court ruling in 1971 were men allowed to do fact-checking work at TIME – and by 1973, only four men were employed in this role.
The evolution of fact-checking
Although a commitment to accuracy existed before the 1920s, yellow journalism of the early 20th century fueled the need for higher standards. In 1913, Ralph Pulitzer founded the Bureau of Accuracy and Fairness in New York World, but her work was reactive, identifying errors after publication. It was only when TIME hired Nancy Ford in 1923 that fact-checking became proactive.
The internet and social media destroyed many newsrooms, making fact-checking a luxury. But with the 2016 election and the “post-truth” era, fact-checking was revived. In 2014, Duke Reporter's Lab numbered 44 dedicated organizations, while in 2020, the number exceeded 300. Snopes, FactCheck.org and Politi Fact are some of the leaders in this field.
Reporters Lab at Duke University manages a database of over 100 non-governmental organizations that check facts globally. This project, led by Mark Stencel and Bill Adair, includes organizations that assess the accuracy of statements by public figures, political parties, journalists, and various institutions, as well as debunk rumors and disinformation. To be included in the database, an organization must apply clear criteria such as transparency of sources, analysis of various claims, and an impartial stance in reporting facts. According to the Lab, a good fact-checking service should use neutral language and rely on impartial sources.