Fact-Checking at a Crossroads: Challenges, Alternatives, and Policy Interventions

Independent fact-checking organisations play a crucial role in combating misinformation. Social media platforms, such as Meta and X, have scaled back their collaboration with professional fact-checking organisations, leading to financial strain on the industry and increased risks of misinformation. Alternative approaches, such as crowdsourced or AI-driven fact-checking, face significant limitations when used in isolation from professional fact-checkers. They often lack the investigative rigour, critical thinking, and independence that characterise professional fact-checking. A hybrid approach that combines professional and non-professional approaches may be more effective for combating misinformation. Given ongoing challenges, public intervention may be necessary to support the sustainability of fact-checking initiatives and address the challenges posed by misinformation.