Practical approaches to fact-checking in journalism: reliability and accuracy

TASS is one of the oldest news agencies in the world. It has been operating for more than a hundred years. Over the decades of working at the Agency, we have developed basic values and approaches to working with information that are constant and unchangeable. And we are ready to share them with you for your development as fact-checkers.

Reliability and accuracy

TASS holds itself to the highest standards of reliability in its publications. In a situation where there is an overabundance of various, as well as unreliable, information, TASS must remain an accurate and reliable source. “If TASS wrote it, then it’s true” – such a reputation in the professional environment is the most important competitive advantage of our agency. There are no circumstances in which reliability can be sacrificed for speed or anything else.

If we’re late, we will be quoted less. But if we spread false information, we will undermine our own credibility.

In addition to the fact that the information must be reliable, it is important to convey it as accurately as possible. The accuracy of our texts may determine the decisions made by officials, businessmen, and ordinary readers. Journalists are fully responsible for the accuracy of the information provided. Accuracy in TASS’ understanding is:

• Error-free transmission of factual information and numbers. The journalist must be sure of the source of information, of the correctness of all names, surnames and positions of people, names of organizations, companies, etc. All numbers must be checked and confirmed. If the numbers have a source, we should indicate it so that the reader can judge their authenticity for himself.

• Accurate transmission of quotes. Often a quote is the basis of our message, its semantic core. Therefore, the quote is inviolable. We do not have the right to change it or adjust it to the context. An error in the quote can distort the whole point of the news.

Sources and verification

The main question when working with information is who the source is. A reliable source is the basis for preparing news, as well as our insurance against accusations of bias, or even lawsuits. No information can become news unless it has a clearly identified source. The more reliable the source, the more reliable, weighty and valuable the news will be in the eyes of readers. The level of trust for a publication that contains the opinions of well-known newsmakers is higher than for a post that does not contain such quotations.

We carefully select and verify sources, and always try to directly or indirectly confirm information obtained from anonymous sources. And when this is not possible, the decision to transmit information is made by the journalist with a full understanding of the responsibility for his professional reputation and for the reputation of the entire Agency.

It is unacceptable for a journalist to transmit news without considering the potential risk of legal claims due to its unreliability, which can later negate any informational advantage by forcing a retraction. When working with information, it is always important to evaluate it soberly. Journalists are increasingly being used to publish messages that benefit someone. This is important to remember when you are suddenly sent “exclusive data”. If there is the slightest doubt about the accuracy of the information received, you need to follow the following three steps:

• heck the source of information – what might be its interest in spreading that particular information, what might be the hidden agenda behind everything.
• get confirmation from at least two independent sources.
• compare the received information with the already known information on this topic to check for obvious contradictions.

When monitoring, we only use information from official websites, verified social media accounts, and major Russian and foreign media outlets. If the account is not marked as verified, the author of the publication is responsible for its use and the accuracy of the information provided there.

When working with information sources, it is important to keep in mind modern fake production technologies, potential fake email campaigns allegedly sent on behalf of press services and newsmakers, as well as cases of official accounts and websites getting hacked. Therefore, any unexpected, sensational statements on official accounts that stand out from the general context should be screenshot and double-checked with the original author.

It’s better to be late than to spread a fake story with a link to a well-known newsmaker.

The best source for a journalist is newsmakers with whom strong, reliable relationships have been established. A notebook containing the contacts of key speakers is a correspondent’s most valuable asset. Only with it can you promptly obtain an important firsthand comment.

Unofficial sources

A person who is not an employee of the organization and does not make any significant decisions on the issue discussed in the news, but at the same time has valuable information for us and is ready to share it openly, belongs to the category of unofficial sources.

Not all information from an unofficial source can become news on the TASS feed.

• We are not interested in the statements of a person who is not directly related to the case.
• We are not interested in an expert’s opinion on an issue that does not fall within the scope of their competence.
• If the information is interesting, you should check it through other sources that may be more knowledgeable.

Anonymous sources

An anonymous (unnamed) source is the most unreliable source of information. If we do not identify the source, then the responsibility for distributing information obtained on the condition of anonymity automatically falls on the journalist and the Agency. TASS in this situation is in a vulnerable position and can become a defendant in court. Every correspondent should understand such risks and strive to minimize them.

A source cited as unnamed in the text remains anonymous only to the audience—the journalist must always know their identity.

Moreover, the journalist must have a high degree of confidence in the accuracy of the information received from such a source. The editorial board has the right to oblige a journalist to disclose their source in order to make the best decision on the use of information. At the same time, the editorial staff guarantees confidentiality.

Eyewitnesses

Eyewitnesses are classified as unreliable sources of information, since their perception and interpretation of events are subjective, which can affect the reliability of the information received. A person’s message in social networks cannot be immediately passed off as an eyewitness account. You need to quickly study the profile, namely:

• check when the account containing the information was created (the newer the account, the less reason to trust it).
• find out which online communities the account owner belongs to, and who his “friends” are (this will help answer the question about the person’s objectivity and impartiality).
• view and analyze previous posts.

If the account owner uploads a photo or video from the intended event location, then do the following:

• check whether the objects captured in the photo or video coincide with those that actually exist in the place where the shooting was allegedly carried out.
• compare the weather conditions in the photo or video with the weather in the place where the event occurred.
• verify whether the language or dialect recorded in the video matches the language or dialect of the location where the event took place.
• compare the date and time in the properties of the photo or video file with the date and time of publication (the difference should be insignificant).
• check whether the geotags of the post with the photo or video recording (or the file itself) correspond to the place where, according to the author, they were taken.

If, after all these actions, nothing aroused your suspicions, then you need to contact the account owner, be sure to introduce yourself as a journalist, and ask him to confirm the information published by him, as well as share additional information if he knows anything else.

It is important to keep in mind that a video posted on a social network may turn out to be fake or be shot in another part of the Earth in different circumstances.

Any information from an eyewitness can become news only after the same information is confirmed by at least one other eyewitness.

It is forbidden to write news about an event based only on photos or videos from an unverified social media account and without any confirmation of what happened.

In terms of reliability, an eyewitness is closest to an anonymous source: if the information received from him turns out to be unreliable, the responsibility will most likely fall on the journalist.

Therefore, when communicating with an eyewitness via the Internet, as well as when using any information from the Internet, the journalist should try to protect himself as much as possible by taking a screenshot of the page or recording the conversation.