Fact-checking separates a checkable proposition from surrounding rhetoric, locates suitable evidence, verifies source identity and date, compares the claim with the exact source material, and records the reasoning behind the verdict.
An AI fact checker can scale review but can also misread sources or invent citations. Important checks need direct source locations, confidence, protected evidence, and human review when the claim is consequential or sources remain ambiguous.
ELI5
Fact-checking asks whether a specific statement matches trustworthy evidence. It breaks the statement into something testable, finds the best available sources, and shows exactly where the support or contradiction appears.
For example, a report may claim that a policy began in 2024, while the official record says 2025. The checker can flag the sentence, attach the source location, and require a correction before publication.
Is fact-checking the same as searching the web?
No. Search finds candidate sources, while fact-checking verifies their identity, relevance, date, exact content, independence, and relationship to the claim.
What should happen when a fact cannot be verified?
Label it unresolved or remove it, explain the missing evidence, and avoid converting lack of access into either confirmation or disproof.
