USA TODAY's Fact Check Guidelines

Our fact-check program upholds the standards and ethics that guide our entire newsgathering and reporting process.

USA TODAY is also a signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which reviews our work to ensure it is done in accordance with the IFCN Code of Principles.

We are fair and balanced in the material we choose to fact check. We will promptly address claims of inaccuracy and, if an error is found, we will publish a correction.

Column: Fact-checking is built on transparency. We invite you to check our work.

How do we find material to fact check?

Many of our fact-check articles are supported in part by a grant from Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads. We review content that is published on those platforms as part of the company's effort to combat the spread of false news and misinformation. We also monitor news reports, other social media platforms and search engine trends for potential claims on Meta platforms as well as elsewhere on social media and online.

Readers wishing to submit claims to be considered for fact-checking can reach our team at [email protected].

How do we choose our topics?

In selecting the items to fact check – because we can’t check them all – we focus on ones that make a clear assertion, are on a topic of significance and are spreading enough to merit a response. Though we don’t keep count, we do strive for balance – ideologically and geographically – in our fact checks.

Claims we avoid fact-checking include those that are forward-looking, that are built on opinions rather than factual assertions or that are spreading only within a limited group of people.

How do we research a fact check?

Our reporters follow a consistent process to ensure each claim is treated fairly and consistently. That process includes:

• Asking the person who made the claim for evidence to back up the assertion, then researching that material.

• Interviewing subject matter experts, typically multiple experts, to gather a variety of perspectives and ensure we understand the expert consensus on the topic.

• Reviewing primary source documents related to the claim.

• Seeking official, nonpartisan sources such as city halls, statehouses and Congress for bills, voting records and budget information; state and federal records for corporate information, and agencies such as the IRS and FEC for relevant data.

Transparency is a core value for our team, so all sources used are hyperlinked in the story text and listed at the bottom of every fact check.

How do we edit our fact checks?

First, before a fact check is undertaken, a reporter reviews the claim with an editor and discusses the approach.

Once the story is written, an editor carefully reviews the fact check for tone and to ensure the sourcing is transparent, relevant and trustworthy. The editor and reporter work together to confirm that every statement in the story is accurate and the wording used is fair. They then choose a rating.

After that, another fact-check editor reviews their work. If there are any concerns, they enlist the guidance of a senior editor.

What are our fact-check ratings?

You’ll generally see this structure in each of our stories:

A description of the claim we're checking and the context in which it was made.

A summary of our rating.

A detailed rundown of findings, with links and attribution throughout so readers can see what research and experts we consulted and check our work. Those findings will explain how and why we arrived at our rating. We use the same rating system outlined in the Meta fact-checking program:

• False – Content that has no basis in fact.

• Altered – Image, audio, or video content that has been edited or synthesized beyond adjustments for clarity or quality, in ways that could mislead people.

• Partly false – Content has some factual inaccuracies (a mix of true and false elements).

• Missing context – Content that implies a false claim without directly stating it.

• Satire – Content that uses irony, exaggeration, or absurdity for criticism or awareness, particularly in the context of political, religious, or social issues, but that a reasonable user would not immediately understand to be satirical.

• True – Content that contains no inaccurate or misleading information.

How do we fact-check live events?

In addition to fact check articles, our team does "live" fact-checking for major political events such as debates, conventions and key speeches. This is separate from our work with Meta.

For these events, we use a blog format to succinctly present and analyze claims during and immediately after the event. Our criteria for selecting claims is the same as for standard fact checks: Statements that are clear and address a topic of significance and widespread interest. Our live work also abides by the same standards in identifying the author of each blog entry, relying on only the most authoritative sources and including links to all sources so readers can check our work.

Our coverage includes blog entries with traditional ratings as well as entries without ratings where we add context or explanation to claims lacking it.

Examples from 2024:

• Fact-checking the Democratic convention: What Kamala Harris, others got right (and wrong)

• Fact-checking RNC Day 4: What Trump, other speakers got right and wrong

• GOP debate fact check: What DeSantis, Haley got right (and wrong)

• State of the Union fact check: What President Joe Biden got wrong (and right)

Who is on the fact-check team?

Fact checks are reported by journalists on our Fact Check team, under the guidance of two veteran editors with extensive experience in fact checking:

• Eric Litke leads the team, where he has worked as an editor since April 2021. He oversees hiring, standards, training, story assignments and all other daily operations. Eric previously worked as a reporter for PolitiFact Wisconsin, a data reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and an investigative reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Investigative Team. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Northwestern - St. Paul and a master's degree in data science from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay.

• Brad Sylvester has worked as an editor on the team since September 2022. He previously worked as a reporter, editor and managing editor at Check Your Fact. Brad has a bachelor's degree from Fordham University.

What if we need to correct something?

We recognize that mistakes may happen – or that new information can emerge after a story is published – and we pledge to address all concerns quickly, fairly and transparently.

If a correction or clarification is warranted, we will highlight that in the original fact check and explain to readers why the change was made. Any correction or clarification would also be published on our corrections log.

We are a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network's Code of Principles. If you believe we have violated these principles, you can inform the IFCN using this form.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact Check: Guidelines for USA TODAY's fact check program