What Do Fact-Checkers Check? A Comparative Analysis of Political and Non-Political Misinformation Across Four Countries

Abstract

Abstract

The scope of misinformation is extensive, yet studies of fact-checking in Southeastern Europe and Türkiye have disproportionately focused on political or health-related claims. This study provides a broader empirical evaluation through a content analysis of 1,067 fact-checking articles published between January and June 2025 by seven fact-checking organizations in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Türkiye. Rather than concentrating on a single issue, the analysis distinguishes fact-checked claims into two broad categories: political claims, including elections, political actors, and public policy, and non-political claims, encompassing topics such as health, crime, and the economy. The findings show that non-political misinformation constituted the majority of fact-checked content across all four countries, although the balance between political and non-political misinformation varied by country context. Political and non-political misinformation differed systematically in misleading characteristics, content formats, and platform origins, with political misinformation more often involving fabricated or manipulated content across the analyzed national contexts.