False information – whether mistakenly or intentionally distributed – threatens societies around the world, with dire consequences. When official statistics are misused or misrepresented, trust in this public good and the institutions that produce them are undermined. Two groups, fact checkers and statistical regulators, share common goals in combating this problem. Bolstering their work is a new offering of AI tools which help monitor vast volumes of media, identify important statements in public debate and inform users when statements they know to be wrong are repeated again. This article will cover the problem posed by false information, the common goals of fact checkers and statistical regulators, the development of AI tools and their impact.
Who we are. Full Fact. Available from: https://fullfact.org/about/.
2.
Who we are. (n.d.). Full Fact; 2023 March 6. Available from: https://fullfact.org/about/.
3.
IFCN Code of Principles. Poynter.org. Available from: https://ifcncodeofprinciples.poynter.org/know-more/the-commitments-of-the-code-of-principles.
4.
Google News Initiative. Helping prevent the spread of misinformation: Full Fact. Youtube; 2021. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZbzGMo3Jn4.
5.
Ox.ac.uk. Available from: https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2018-02/graves_factsheet_180226.
6.
How does the UK’s GDP growth compare to the G7? Full Fact; 2023. Available from: https://fullfact.org/economy/uk-gdp-growth-g7-february-2023/.
7.
GuoZSchlichtkrullMVlachosA. A survey on automated fact-checking. arXiv [csCL]. 2021. Available from: http://arxiv.org/abs/2108.11896.
8.
KonstantinovskiyLPriceOBabakarMZubiagaA. Toward automated factchecking: Developing an annotation schema and benchmark for consistent automated claim detection. Digit Threat. 2021; 2(2): 1-16. doi: 10.1145/3412869.
9.
Boris Johnson makes false employment claim for ninth time in Parliament. Full Fact; 2022. Available from: https://fullfact.org/economy/boris-johnson-makes-false-employment-claim-for-ninth-time-in-parliament/.
10.
Research doesn’t prove contraceptive pill reduces risk of suicide. Full Fact; 2022. Available from: https://fullfact.org/health/contraceptive-pill-suicide-risk.
11.
Children should still follow COVID-19 rules after vaccination. Full Fact; 2021. Available from: https://fullfact.org/health/easy-read-vaccine-consent-form.
12.
Claim ‘nine in 10’ teachers voted to strike is misleading. Full Fact; 2023 January 13. Available from: https://fullfact.org/education/nasuwt-neu-strike-ballot-tweet/.
13.
Public opinion in Scotland does support EU membership. Full Fact; 2023. Available from: https://fullfact.org/scotland/alister-jack-scotland-opinion-eu-membership.
14.
Survey didn’t find one in ten young people plan ‘never’ to work. Full Fact; 2022. Available from: https://fullfact.org/economy/sun-city-guilds-young-people-never-working/.
15.
WilkinsonK. Nigerian fact checkers fight election misinformation with Full Fact’s AI Tools. Google; 2023. Available from: https://blog.google/intl/en-africa/company-news/technology/nigerian-fact-checkers-fight-election-misinformation-with-full-facts-ai-tools/.
16.
Highway Code changes infographic needs context. Full Fact; 2022. Available from: https://fullfact.org/online/highway-code-changes/.
17.
RollingsG. New Highway Code rules are ‘dangerous and divisive’, blast motoring experts – but how many do you know? The Sun; 2022 Jan 24. Available from: https://www.thesun.co.uk/motors/17428143/new-highway-code-rules-motoring-cyclist-pedestrian/.
18.
NewmanJQuinnCHullR. Cyclists take to middle of the road and drivers are POWERLESS to stop them under new Highway Code. Daily mail; 2022 Jan 29. Available from: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10454809/Cyclists-middle-road-drivers-POWERLESS-stop-new-Highway-Code.html.
19.
LeakerD. Number of People in Employment (aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted):000s. Office for National Statistics; 2023.
20.
Will Moy to Ed Humpherson: Statements on the number of people in work. Gov.uk. Available from: https://osr.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Will-Moy-to-Ed-Humpherson-Statements-on-the-number-of-people-in-work.pdf.
21.
Engagements – Volume 704: debated on Wednesday 1 December 2021. Parliament.uk. Available from: https://hansard.parliament.uk//commons/2021-12-01/debates/A0E282CF-039D-4F26-8F16-946B8C6E2ABC/Engagements.
22.
Engagements – Volume 705: debated on Wednesday 15 December 2021. Parliament.uk. Available from: https://hansard.parliament.uk//commons/2021-12-15/debates/9FC7E88F-A7F2-47F7-9DDB-4A7252E40778/Engagements.
23.
Engagements – Volume 706: debated on Wednesday 5 January 2022. Parliament.uk. Available from: https://hansard.parliament.uk//commons/2022-01-05/debates/F0DD6E66-0813-4A93-814D-B6FAAFDC8A16/Engagements.
24.
Reducing Costs for Businesses – Volume 706: debated on Tuesday 11 January 2022. Parliament.uk. Available from: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2022-01-11/debates/7EFC8B42-69ED-4F81-B9A7-FB4738A30C5E/ReducingCostsForBusinesses.
25.
Will Moy to Ed Humpherson: Statements on the number of people in work. Gov.uk. Available from: https://osr.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Will-Moy-to-Ed-Humpherson-Statements-on-the-number-of-people-in-work.pdf.
26.
Ed Humpherson to Laura Gilbert: Statements on the number of people in work. Office for Statistics Regulation. Available from: https://osr.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/correspondence/ed-humpherson-to-laura-gilbert-statements-on-the-number-of-people-in-work.
