VERA Files Fact Check has two fact-checking initiatives that follow the same ratings system.
One of these programs is concentrated on fact-checking falsehoods, flip-flops, and misleading statements of public officials and figures. The other is the third-party fact-checking partnership with Facebook, which is centered on online mis- and disinformation.
These ratings are:
- FAKE, if the claim is completely fabricated;
- FALSE, if the claim contradicts official records, national and international laws, and/or scientific studies;
- MISLEADING, if the claim is based on truth but is twisted in a way that it takes on another meaning, usually maliciously done;
- UNPROVEN/NO BASIS, if there is no existing evidence that can prove or disprove the claim;
- INACCURATE, if the claim carries inaccuracies in dates, figures, and other numbers that may or may not be maliciously intended;
- NEEDS CONTEXT, if the claim lacks crucial context, which may mislead some readers; and
- FLIP-FLOP, if there is a sudden shift of a government official or public figure’s stand on a specific policy or opinion on a certain issue.
Read more about VERA Files Fact Check here.
