How we work
Fact-checking & Sourcing
How claims are checked and rated.
Sourcing
Our sourcing hierarchy is: the official document first; the agency's or court's own public statements second; independent, named, on-the-record sources third. We do not use anonymous sources. We do not rely on another outlet's summary of a document when the document is available.
Fact checks
A fact check states the claim exactly as it circulates, where it circulates, and the document that settles it. Verdicts use four labels:
- True: the document supports the claim as stated.
- False: the document contradicts the claim.
- Misleading: the claim mixes true and false elements, or leaves out context that changes its meaning.
- Unproven: no official document supports or contradicts the claim yet. We say what would settle it.
We do not link to the post or video that spreads a false claim when doing so would amplify it; we describe where it circulates instead.
Trackers
Tracker tables are built from the documents listed in their Source Card and refreshed on the schedule shown on the page. Each refresh is checked against the source before the "last verified" time is updated.
Archiving
Where possible we keep an archived copy of every document we cite so that a page can be checked even if the original moves or is removed.