Gazette fact-checking is fundamentally flawed

On Aug. 9 The Gazette fact-checked a claim by Gov. Kim Reynolds under the headline “Fact Checker: “Are unvaccinated migrants ‘part of the problem’?”

The answer is yes. The severity is debatable, but the fact-check was on a yes-or-no question. Reynolds and The Gazette both agree the answer is yes. But Gov. Reynolds received a “C” for the fact-check.

What constitutes an “A” rating on the “Are unvaccinated migrants part of the problem” fact check?

If the only way to receive an “A” rating is to answer “Yes, but in context,” then the fact-checking system is fundamentally flawed because The Gazettes fact-check focuses exclusively on this claim and no other claims or statements by the governor.

In other words, The Gazette is fact-checking a yes-or-no question based on context around the question, but it’s The Gazette, not Reynolds, who controls the context included in the article.

This fundamental flaw in fact-checking can be and has been exploited for politics. There is no better example than this piece on the governor.

Are unvaccinated migrants ‘part of the problem’? Yes, but The Gazette doesn’t want Reynolds mentioning it. That’s the only logical conclusion you can draw from this fact-check.

The Gazette should overhaul their fact-checking process. All context should be included in the fact itself. Facts are objective, fact-checks should be as well. A subjective letter grade isn’t applicable to objective facts. As it currently stands, the fact-checks are logically equivalent to opinion pieces categorized as fact.

Rob Cole

Cedar Rapids