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Fact-checking and its detractors

State of Play:

Fact-checking has become a familiar tool for political reporters to hold office-holders and candidates accountable. But critics ask if fact-checkers sometimes miss the forest for the trees, and if the practice often struggles with false equivalency the way conventional political coverage does.

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Fact checking: not a tool for all seasons

It was love at first sight, but over time, my ardor has cooled. I still believe there is value in cataloging misstatements, exaggerations, and, well, lies. But when government policies are undertaken and justified by nothing more than a fever-dream of fantasy and fiction, fact checking doesn’t meet the moment.

Sept. 27, 2024

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