The Logics of Fact-Checking Website Operations

Abstract

Adopting an institutional logics perspective, this study examines various fact-checking practices in the context of three field-level logics that may shape these practices: a journalistic logic, a social-service logic, and a market logic. We conceptualize fact-checking sites as hybrid operations that are likely to be shaped by multiple logics, but which may show signs of standardization. Findings from a content analysis of diverse fact-checkers showed a vibrancy and similarity of stand-alone fact-checkers, suggesting these may be a budding institutional form. However, findings also reveal a field that is diverse in its organizational types, practices, and logics.

Keywords:

• Fact-checking
• institutional logics
• journalism ethics
• transparency

Acknowledgement

We thank the anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments. We particularly appreciate Dr. Wilson Lowrey at the University of Alabama for his academic supports.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Table A4. Sampled fact-checking sites (assumed to be population of US fact-checking sites).

Notes

1 The criteria for identifying fact-checking operations are as follows: fact-checking sites must review statements by all political parties and sides, examine discrete claims and reach conclusions, transparently identify sources and explain their methods, and disclose their funding and affiliations. These standards are similar to the international fact-checking network’s code of principles.

2 As of November 15, 2021, 68 active fact-checking operations are currently providing their services.

3 The category of non-profit organization indicates that the fact-checking operation is a not-for-profit operation or exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) in the United States.

4 Bootstrapping specializes in testing the confidence interval of estimators’ resampling. The permutation test is specifically designed to inspect a null hypothesis with non-resampling.

5 We also made a simpler categorization: non-profit sites that include stand-alone operations, news media, and advocacy organizations. The results showed that news media are most likely funded by advertisements (n = 33, 57), and non-profit sites are mainly funded by foundations (n = 29, 94%), individuals’ donations (n = 33, 87%), and companies (n = 20, 91%).

6 In a digital environment, ads may be placed via algorithm-based services like Google Ads, or they may be placed directly (Jarvis 2017). While we do not distinguish between the two forms in this study, we note that advertisers’ “risk aversion” to controversial fact-checking content is likely more relevant to direct placement, given that advertisers know where their ads will be placed.