Fact-Checking in Practice: Exploring Digital Workflows and Operational Structures of Organizations in NCR

Abstract

This study interrogates how fact-checking organisations in India’s National Capital Region (NCR) convert rumours into verified public knowledge. Drawing on 24 semi-structured interviews, we trace a five-stage operational cycle. Claim Intake & Prioritisation relies on crowd-sourced tips that undergo editorial triage weighted by potential harm. During Verification & Rating Workflows, teams blend desk research, field verification and expert consultation within a standardised truth-rating taxonomy. Findings show that Disclosure, Transparency & Corrections protocols—publicly available rationales and swift rectifications—fortify institutional credibility. The ripple effects emerge in Editorial Reach & Public Impact, where fact-checks reshape communal narratives, curb health misinformation and prompt investigative follow-ups. Underpinning every stage is Ethical Governance & Safety, a rule set balancing accuracy, audience protection and community sensitivity. By mapping these interlocking components, the paper advances infrastructural understandings of digital fact-checking as a socio-technical service.