Debunking practices and topics: Fact-checking agencies from the United Kingdom, France and Spain

Abstract

This study focuses on debunking social media hoaxes as a critical issue for both fact checkers and democracies, as it is partially linked to the international and geopolitical scope of disinformation. The objective is to compare the debunking practices of seven fact-checking agencies from United Kingdom, France and Spain classified by its international, national or regional scope: Les Observateurs (France), Logically (United Kingdom), Les Vérificateurs (France), Full Fact (United Kingdom), Newtral (Spain), Ferret Fact (United Kingdom) and Verificat (Spain). Explorative, descriptive and inferential statistical quantitative research based on the analysis of content over eight hundred posts between July and August 2023 was conducted. The results partly confirm the objective of debunking as preventing the spread of a story, since the public health approach based on verification (labelling as ‘false’ rather offering in-depth explanation) is the prevailing trend, irrespective of the section. Nevertheless, the public health or public reason approach depends on the agency, as some agencies – including the two French – provide more detailed explanations with clear public reason approach, even in the treatment of international conflicts. Results also show significant homogeneity in terms of the major issues covered (inclusion and migration, environment, health and science, international conflicts, etc.), although the relative weight of each section varies significantly in each agency, including those of the same scope.