Readers are increasing, yet they are on the verge of collapse—the contradiction of the fact-checking industry

Have you ever doubted health information that appeared on social media recently, wondering, "Is this true?"

“Eat this to boost your immunity,” “This treatment is guaranteed to cure you”—amidst the daily barrage of such unverified information, even we in the medical field sometimes pause for a moment and think, “Wait, is this actually true?” At such times, there are people who quietly verify the facts and deliver accurate information. They are known as fact-checkers. However, did you know that they are currently facing a serious crisis? After reading an international report published in April 2026, I, as a medical professional, felt strongly that “this is not someone else's problem.” Today, I would like to think about what has emerged from that report together with you.

April 2nd is “International Fact-Checking Day”—did you know that?

To be honest, I myself did not know about this anniversary until recently. Every year, April 2nd is “International Fact-Checking Day,” established by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) in 2016. It is a day to celebrate the achievements of fact-checkers around the world and to send a message to society that “protecting the truth is everyone's responsibility.”

Released this year to coincide with this day is a report titled “State of the Fact-checkers 2025.” This large-scale survey, covering 141 organizations in 71 countries, highlights the reality of the fact-checking industry. And the content written there was more severe than I had imagined.

“No money”—89% cite financial difficulties as their biggest challenge

The most shocking part of this report was the financial state of the industry. Surprisingly, 89.1% of fact-checking organizations cite “financial difficulties and sustainability” as their biggest challenge.

If we compare this to the medical world, it is like being told that “90% of hospitals are in financial trouble.” If you heard that, anyone would be worried, right.

In the background, there are major changes such as Meta (formerly Facebook) ending its independent fact-checking program in the U.S., as well as cuts in USAID support. Due to these impacts, 45.3% of organizations reported a decrease in revenue. Only 22.6% could definitively call their finances “sustainable.” Conversely, since 76% of organizations answered that they are “vulnerable” or “in crisis,” the entire industry is now in a state like an “intensive care unit.”

Moreover, more than half of the organizations rely on a single source of income for more than half of their revenue. They carry the risk that if just one sponsor pulls out, their operations will come to a standstill. In fact, 38.3% of organizations have been forced to reduce staff, and my heart aches the more I look at the numbers.

“Readers are increasing” yet “they are on the verge of collapse”—this contradiction is interesting

This is the point in this report that I focused on the most. Even though budgets are shrinking and staff are being reduced, 62% of organizations have succeeded in expanding their audience (readers and viewers).

If you think about it normally, it would seem like “no money → activities shrink → readers also decrease.” But the reality was the opposite. The secret lies in the change in how content is “presented.”

The focus has shifted from traditional text-based long-form reports to visually oriented content such as short-form videos and infographics. 72.3% of organizations answered that short videos and 44.5% answered that visual explanations are “most effective for acquiring new audiences.”

Don't you think this is a big hint for us in the medical field as well? We also need to update the dissemination of medical information into a “form that gets through” while maintaining accuracy. It makes me feel once again that the era of “it's enough to just write the right thing” is over.

Is AI an ally? Or a threat?—the complex relationship of fact-checkers

Another thing that cannot be overlooked in this report is how to deal with AI. I was surprised by the fact that 53.3% of organizations have already integrated AI into their workflows. It is mainly used in situations such as research and information gathering (77.4%) and translation (55.5%), and the number of organizations establishing AI ethical guidelines has also increased to 50.4%.

However, on the other hand, about half of the organizations (49.6%) consider deepfakes and synthetic media created by AI to be a “major challenge”. In other words, AI is both a “weapon for verification” and a “subject to be verified.” I feel that this dual structure is the biggest characteristic of the 2025 fact-checking industry.

Adding a perspective as a certified public psychologist, the problem of deepfakes is not just a technical issue. It is rooted in the human cognitive bias of “wanting to believe what we see.” No matter how much technology advances, as long as human psychological tendencies do not change, deepfakes will always continue to have a certain effect. That is precisely why the work of fact-checking is a psychological issue as much as it is a technological one.

Lawsuits, government pressure, harassment—the price of “telling the truth”

The report also noted an even harsher reality.20.4% of organizations have faced lawsuits related to their journalistic activities, and 29.2% have been subjected to pressure or interference from the government.

Although the overall incidence of harassment against fact-checkers has dropped to 65%, 24.1% of the affected organizations reported that the frequency has actually increased. In other words, even if it appears to be decreasing overall, attacks against specific individuals and organizations are becoming more concentrated and radicalized.

“Why must we be attacked when we are only conveying the facts?”—I cannot help but think this. This is a story that is not unrelated to the world of medicine. Cases where medical professionals who disseminate information based on scientific evidence regarding infectious disease control and vaccines are subjected to intense bashing on social media have actually occurred in Japan as well. I strongly feel that society needs more mechanisms to protect those who try to protect the facts.

“Working together”—94.9% engage in inter-organizational collaboration

Even in these difficult circumstances, there is a glimmer of hope.94.9% of organizations are collaborating with other institutions, and the rate of regular collaboration at least once a month has surged from 35.3% the previous year to 58.4%.

Sharing the burden of protecting facts that one organization alone cannot safeguard. I believe this is a concept that aligns with “team medical care.” Just as members with different areas of expertise work together to support patients, “teamwork” is becoming more important than ever in the world of fact-checking.

However, due to a lack of resources, the range of topics that can be covered is narrowing. In particular, the sharp decline in fact-checking related to climate science from 75.2% to 55.5%, and regarding historical claims from 59.9% to 40.1%, is a change that cannot be overlooked. There is a shortage of manpower, and the number of topics that cannot be addressed is increasing. For society as a whole, this means that “blank spots” of information are expanding.

What can we do?—Three proposals

Having read this far, some of you might have thought, “But I’m not a fact-checker.” However, protecting the facts is not a job only for experts. There are things that each and every one of us can do.

The first is to make it a habit to check the “source” of information. If you see information on social media that concerns you, take a breath and think, “Who is saying this, and on what basis?” Just doing that will significantly lower the risk of being swayed by misinformation.

The second is to learn about and support the activities of reliable fact-checking organizations. There is an organization in Japan called the FactCheck Initiative (FIJ). Just by knowing about their activities, your information literacy will definitely improve.

And the third is to become someone who disseminates “reliable information”. Whether you are a medical professional or not, disseminating accurate information in your own field of expertise leads to raising the overall fact-checking capability of society.

In conclusion

I will summarize the points I wanted to convey in this article.

・The fact-checking industry is facing a serious financial crisis, with 76% of organizations in a “vulnerable” or “critical” state.

・Nevertheless, readership is increasing, and adaptation to short videos and visual content is proving successful.

・AI is a weapon for verification, but it is also creating a new threat called deepfakes.

・Pressure on those who convey the facts, such as lawsuits and harassment, remains serious.

・Inter-organizational collaboration is progressing rapidly, but the range of topics that can be covered is narrowing.

The humble and steady work of “protecting the facts” is the very foundation of our society. The people who support that foundation are suffering right now. But the attitude of valuing facts is something that anyone can practice in their daily life, even if they are not a special expert.

I believe that if you verify the source of just one piece of information today, this world will become a little bit better.

Thank you very much for staying with me until the end. I hope today's article serves as a catalyst for you to think about your next steps starting tomorrow.

#FactCheck #InformationLiteracy #MediaLiteracy #PerspectiveOfHealthcareProfessionals #Deepfake