To evaluate a fact-checking website, look past its rating and inspect how it chose the claim, what evidence it used, how its reasoning supports its conclusion, and whether it discloses funding and corrects errors. The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) Code of Principles offers a practical benchmark for those checks, but alignment with a standard is not a guarantee that every individual article is accurate.
Use a repeatable comparison, not a verdict badge
When two fact-checkers reach different conclusions, compare their work on the same questions rather than assuming that a familiar label settles the disagreement. The IFCN Code is designed for organizations that regularly publish non-partisan reports on public figures’ statements and widely circulated public-interest claims. Its commitments cover fairness, source transparency, funding and organizational transparency, methodology, and corrections. Read the IFCN Code of Principles.
For each site, review both its policy pages and at least one published fact-check. Record the page or article you examined and the date you checked it. Use “clear,” “partial,” or “not found” for each item; “not found” means you did not locate the information in the pages reviewed, not that the organization has no such practice.
| What to compare | Look for | Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Claim selection and fairness | Public criteria for eligible claims, reasons for selection, attention to reach or importance, and safeguards against undue focus on one side. | Can you tell why this claim qualified for review? |
| Source transparency | Named or linked significant evidence, enough detail to reproduce the check, and an explanation when primary sources are unavailable or identifying details are withheld for security. | Can you open the source and verify the relevant passage or data? |
| Method and rating | Published steps for research and publication, evidence-evaluation methods, and definitions for rating terms. | Does the article explain how the evidence leads to its rating? |
| Funding and organization | Disclosure of organizational structure and funding sources, including material funders where applicable under the Code. | Is the information specific, current, and easy to find? |
| Corrections and complaints | A visible corrections policy, an accessible way to raise concerns, clear notices of changes, and a corrected version readers can locate. | Can you find a correction and understand what changed? |
| Article-level reasoning | Accurate quotation and context for the original claim, evidence quality, alternative interpretations, and a conclusion proportionate to what the sources establish. | Does the article address uncertainty and limitations? |
A single combined score can obscure important differences. If you choose to score sites, publish the scoring rules and explain why the categories and weights are appropriate.
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Read the method before trusting the rating
A useful methodology statement should explain how a site selects claims, researches them, writes and publishes checks, evaluates evidence, and applies its rating system. Look for definitions of the rating labels as well as the steps behind them. The IFCN’s June 2025 Code describes methodology expectations, including what can be fact-checked, how sources are verified, and how evidence is evaluated. Consult the IFCN Code of Principles.
Then test the policy against an actual article. A method page may describe a sound process, but the article should make it possible to see that process at work: what was checked, what evidence mattered, and how the conclusion was reached.
Follow the sources and test the reasoning
Significant evidence should be identified with enough detail for a reader to replicate the check. Relevant links make that easier. A source list alone is not enough: the fact-check should explain what each important source establishes and how those findings bear on the claim. The IFCN recognizes that personal-security risks can justify withholding identifying details about a source.
- Locate the original claim. Check whether the article quotes it accurately and preserves relevant context, such as the date, audience, or surrounding statement.
- Open the cited evidence. Find the specific passage, data, or record the article relies on. If a link is broken or points only to a broad homepage, assess whether the article supplies enough information to identify the evidence another way.
- Check what each source can establish. A source may confirm one detail without proving the broader claim. Notice whether the article distinguishes direct evidence from interpretation or background context.
- Compare the reasoning with the conclusion. Look for missing steps, material counterevidence, plausible alternative readings, and uncertainty. The strength of the verdict should match what the evidence supports.
These checks apply especially when a conclusion affects financial decisions: verify the underlying figures, dates, and original records rather than relying on a rating alone.
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Claim selection affects what a site’s coverage represents. Its published criteria should help explain which claims are eligible and why a particular claim was chosen. Look for a stated rationale tied to reach or importance and safeguards against concentrating unduly on one side. A selection policy cannot by itself show how fairly a particular article handled its claim; compare it with the article’s evidence and reasoning.
Funding and organizational disclosures provide context for evaluating possible interests. Check whether the disclosures identify the organization’s structure and funding sources with enough specificity to be useful, and whether they appear current. A disclosure is information to weigh, not proof that a fact-check is either compromised or independent.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Look for visible corrections and a way to raise concerns
A trustworthy process should make errors addressable. Find the corrections policy and complaints channel, then see whether changes to published checks are marked clearly. The IFCN commitments call for open, transparent corrections and for corrected versions to reach prior readers as far as practicable. A visible correction should help readers determine what changed, rather than silently replacing the original text.
Public IFCN assessment pages for FactWatch and Verificat illustrate the kinds of questions used to assess areas such as claim selection, significant evidence, methodology, and corrections. They are examples of assessment material, not a comprehensive or current comparison of those organizations or of fact-checking sites generally. View IFCN assessment material.
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What standards alignment can—and cannot—tell you
The IFCN Code is a benchmark for organizational commitments and transparency. It can help you ask consistent questions, but it does not replace evaluating the specific claim, sources, and reasoning in an individual fact-check. The material available here does not establish the current signatory status or performance of any named organization, nor does it support a ranking of sites by accuracy. To compare particular websites, check their current policy pages and examine comparable articles using the same criteria.
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