Debunking false information: investigating journalists’ fact-checking skills

Citation

Himma-Kadakas, M., & Ojamets, I. (2022). Debunking false information: investigating journalists’ fact-checking skills. Digital Journalism, 10(5), 866-887.

This paper investigates the skills and competencies journalists use to verify information and debunk mis- and disinformation. The authors suggest that traditional fact-checking skills are often sufficient to validate information, but, under time pressure, journalists tend to trust their professional experience and take risks in publishing unchecked information, especially when it comes from "official" sources.