How Politics Shape Views Toward Fact-Checking: Evidence from Six European Countries

Abstract

Fact-checking has spread internationally, in part to confront the rise of digital disinformation campaigns. American studies suggests ideological asymmetry in attitudes towards factchecking, as well as greater acceptance of the practice among those more interested in and knowledgeable about politics. We examine attitudes toward fact-checking across 6 European counties to put these findings in a broader context (N = 6,067). We find greater familiarity with and acceptance of fact-checking in Northern Europe (Sweden, Germany) than elsewhere (Italy, Spain, France, Poland). We further find two dimensions of political antipathy: a left-right dimension and an “anti-elite” dimension (including dissatisfaction with democracy and negative feelings toward the E.U.), the latter of which more consistently predicts negative feelings toward fact-checkers in the countries examined. Our findings demonstrate that despite general acceptance of the movement, significant political divides remain. Those less likely to trust factcheckers could be more vulnerable to disinformation targeting these divides, leading to a spiral of cynicism.