C


hecking facts has always been a vital part of journalism. Now, thanks to the half-truths and outright lies that thrive on social media and can be repeated in today’s news, it has become established as a profession in its own right.


Fact checkers may work alongside or within the media,


refuting spurious claims and flagging up dodgy data. Some also keep a close eye on the media, taking journalists to task for getting things wrong. But what is it like moving from journalism to full-time fact


checking and are the two roles materially different? Pippa Allen-Kinross joined Full Fact, the UK’s largest independent fact-checking service, in early 2020. Previously senior reporter at Schools Week, she saw it as a natural career move that allows her to continue reporting while digging deeper into misinformation. Much of the past year has been spent on stories surrounding the pandemic. This includes dispelling myths emanating from social media, as well as challenging claims or statistics thrown around by Boris Johnson and other politicians. “I didn’t feel I was leaving journalism,” she says. “Misinformation is something that people are really aware of. I felt it was important to be part of an organisation that is dealing with inaccuracies.” Allen-Kinross is acting deputy editor in a nine-strong


editorial team at Full Fact, most of whom have a background in journalism. Before publication, articles are checked by at least two other team members. “It was something I had to get used to,” she adds. “I’ve worked in local journalism where it’s pretty much self-publishing.” Full Fact was set up 12 years ago by a cross-party group of peers and media professionals who saw the need for an independent fact-checking charity. Funded through grants and donations, it has doubled in size since 2018 and now employs more than 30 staff. It also enjoys a strong media presence, with a weekly slot on Times Radio and occasional appearances on BBC 5 Live and Newsnight. Neutrality lies at the heart of its operations, says Allen- Kinross. “People are aware of the political biases of news organisations,” she adds. “We strive to make it clear that we’re the honest broker and don’t take sides. Full Fact criticises nationals for claims made about Covid


and other topics, as well as stories created from Twitter polls. But overall, it tends to focus its attention on politicians. This means keeping a close check on claims made in Parliament just after midday most Wednesday afternoons. Here, speed is of the essence. “If we’re checking something


Boris Johnson said at Prime Minister’s Questions, the impact will be greater if we publish straight away, rather than wait three weeks,” says Allen-Kinross. Patrick Worrall, head of Channel 4’s FactCheck service, is sometimes asked why his team does not check on Johnson in real time while the Prime Minister is speaking in the Commons. But it can take a while to verify many facts and demonstrate the scale or importance of any falsehood. “People often express frustration that we don’t accuse


Ferreting out falsehoods


AFTER four years as lead fact-checker at The Ferret, Alastair Brian has no doubts that it is more rewarding from a professional point of view than traditional journalism. Set up in 2017 to


complement The Ferret’s investigative news platform, Ferret Fact Service (FFS), keeps watch on politicians and other opinion formers in Scotland, as well as on conspiracy theories put forward about Covid. At the start of the


pandemic, FFS was constantly updating its Covid page to dispel myths from social media and elsewhere. “There was a vacuum of information that was filled


with falsehoods,” says Brian, who previously worked at STV News and BBC Scotland. FFS operates at arm’s


length from The Ferret’s news team, allowing FFS to be seen as non-partisan. Both are funded through reader members or supporters. “We wouldn’t write a news


story based on a fact check. It opens us up to accusations of bias,” Brian says.


Brian’s main interest is


research. This includes digging deeper into topics than would be usual in traditional journalism. Working for FFS also


provides something that many journalists can only dream of – time to investigate a story properly. “If you work in breaking


news, it can be a bit of a hamster wheel. You spend a lot of time doing things to surface level,” he says. One of the most gratifying


things is seeing a fact check from The Ferret quoted in a debate or used to debunk a lie or myth: “It’s heartening to know it’s not just you that’s pushing out your work,” he adds.


ILLUSTRATION: PETE BAKER


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26