DW Fact-checking team investigates a wide range of claims and stories, including statements from politicians, celebrities, and business leaders, as well as verifying the authenticity of viral images and videos. To decide which topics to fact-check, DW assesses claims based on four criteria: virality, reach, relevance, and impact. DW uses open-source intelligence tools and verification techniques to investigate the origin of a claim, trace it back to its original source, and compare it with reliable data and expert assessments. The team's fact checks are transparent and include hyperlinks to sources used in reporting, allowing readers to review the same evidence relied on by journalists.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
False and misleading claims can spread around the world in a matter of minutes, making it increasingly difficult to separate fact from fiction.
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it → spread → fiction
At a time when false claims can spread faster than facts, independent verification is essential.
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verification → spread → facts
That's where DW Fact check comes in.
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check → come → ?
Allow us to introduce ourselves and explain more about our work.
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us → allow → work
What topics we choose
DW fact-checkers investigate a wide range of claims and stories.
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checkers → choose → claims
This can include statements made by politicians, government officials and political parties, as well as claims involving celebrities, athletes, business leaders and non-profit organizations.
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This → include → celebrities
We verify the authenticity of images, videos or audios that go viral on major social media platforms.
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that → verify → platforms
Increasingly, we also investigate whether widely shared content is authentic or has been generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence.
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content → investigate → intelligence
To decide which topics to fact-check, we assess claims based on four criteria:
- Virality: How quickly is a narrative spreading?
- Reach: Is the narrative being shared across multiple platforms and/or in multiple languages?
- Relevance: Why does the topic matter to our target audience?
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topic → decide → audience
How we verify information
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we → verify → information
At DW Fact check, we investigate the origin of a claim, when and where it emerged, whether it has been manipulated, and who is behind it.
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who → investigate → it
Whenever possible, we trace claims back to their original source and examine the evidence supporting them.
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we → trace → them
We then compare the claim with reliable data, documents and expert assessments to determine its accuracy.
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We → compare → accuracy
To fact-check information, we use a range of open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools and verification techniques.
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we → check → tools
DW has created a dedicated website where you can learn more about the verification workflows and tools we regularly use.
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we → create → workflows
There, you can explore methods for verifying images, videos, audio recordings, sources and text-based claims.
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you → explore → images
Every fact check includes hyperlinks to the sources used in our reporting whenever possible, allowing readers to review the same evidence our journalists relied on.
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journalists → include → evidence
Like all DW journalism, our fact checks are based on information that has been verified through reliable and independent sources.
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that → base → sources
Whenever possible, we follow the two-source principle and seek confirmation from more than one source.
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we → follow → source
While sourcing information from interview partners, we always select reliable and unbiased people.
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we → source → people
All interviews are recorded, with the consent of the interview partner, and archived.
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interviews → record → partner
We mention all sources by name and occupation and, where possible, link to their contact information so there is no lack of transparency.
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We → mention → transparency
Anonymity is only granted to sources in rare cases when their security is at stake or the topic is sensitive.
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topic → grant → stake
In these cases, we are transparent about the reasons for granting anonymity.
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we → grant → anonymity
How we rate claims
DW uses a collaborative process to evaluate claims and determine verdicts.
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DW → rate → verdicts
Before publication, the lead reporter recommends a verdict to two editors.
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reporter → recommend → editors
The rating system has eight categories:
- True: The statement is accurate.
- False: The statement is not accurate.
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statement → have → categories
- Misleading: The statement is partially correct, but the information is portrayed in a way that creates a wrong impression.
- Unproven: The statement cannot be proven true or false.
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statement → portray → impression
- Fake: The image, video or audio is manipulated.
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image → manipulate → ?
- AI- generated: The image, video or audio was created using artificial intelligence.
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image → generate → intelligence
- AI- manipulated: The image, video or audio was altered using artificial intelligence.
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image → manipulate → intelligence
How we use artificial intelligence
DW has clear editorial guidelines when it comes to the use of artificial intelligence in journalism.
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DW → use → journalism
AI can help us improve workflows, accessibility, translation, data and content analysis and format adaptation.
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us → help → workflows
However, humans remain responsible for every journalistic decision and every item we publish.
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we → remain → decision
You can read DW’s ten AI editorial guidelines here.
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You → read → guidelines
At DW Fact check we clearly label any content that we verify as having been generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence.
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we → label → intelligence
We also explicitly disclose when we have used AI tools to help us verify content.
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us → disclose → content
As part of our verification workflow we may use AI detectors to help assess whether content has been created or manipulated with AI.
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content → use → AI
But because these detectors often produce inaccurate results, we use them with great caution.
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we → produce → caution
We use multiple tools to reduce the risk of error.
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We → use → error
…and 30 more, not listed.
