A new report by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) has revealed that fact-checking organisations across the world are operating under increasing pressure, persistent harassment, cyber threats, and financial uncertainty.
The report titled: “The State of the Fact-Checkers 2024”, was released in March 2025 and draws on data from 141 fact-checking organisations across 67 countries globally.
According to the report, 78 per cent of organisations surveyed have experienced harassment due to their fact-checking work, including trolling and coordinated campaigns to discredit their credibility.
Financial sustainability emerged as another major concern. The report found that 71 per cent of fact-checking organisations operate with annual budgets below $500,000, with many expressing concern about their long-term financial viability. Many rely on short-term grants, mostly from international sources, with limited local or institutional support.
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“In 2024, the Meta fact-checking programme (45.5%) and grants (45.3%) were the two largest revenue sources for fact-checking organizations. Other significant sources included the TikTok fact-checking programme (11.9%), user donations (8.9%), and advertising (8.8%). An additional 23.5% of revenue fell under ‘Other,’ reflecting a range of funding models.”
However, Meta has ended its U.S. fact-checking programme and is expected to phase
it out globally by 2026. Grants, another major funding source, are also projected to decline as government and philanthropic funding priorities shift.
According to the report, fact-checkers, through the Financial Sustainability Working Group, are exploring ways to adjust to these changes.
“Nearly half (48.9%) of organizations saw revenue increase from 2023, but financial uncertainty persisted throughout 2024. More than a third (35.5%) reported stable revenue, while 15.6% saw declines. These figures reflect a period before major funding disruptions in early 2025.
“A majority (55.3%) received IFCN financial support in 2024 through grant programmes such as the Global Fact Check Fund, Spread the Facts, the Legal Defense Fund, and travel assistance for GlobalFact 11 in Sarajevo. However, 44.7% did not receive direct IFCN funding.”
The report notes that the financial fragility leaves organisations vulnerable to external shocks and threatens their ability to plan or expand long-term efforts.
Despite these challenges, fact-checkers are increasingly turning to AI tools, with 30 per cent of respondents stating that they use artificial intelligence in their workflows. These tools are mostly used for monitoring trends, claim detection, and translation. However, several organisations expressed caution about relying on third-party tools due to concerns about potential bias, costs, and accessibility.
Fact-checkers continue to navigate AI’s evolving role. Some have integrated it into their workflows, while others remain cautious, weighing its benefits against ethical and operational concerns.
“Most fact-checkers (53.6%) use AI for preliminary research. Others apply it to tasks like content creation (15%), drafting reports (14.3%) and audience engagement (8.6%). About one in five (21.4%) use AI in other ways, while 20% don’t use AI at all.”
The report also highlights a strategic shift in content formats. With misinformation thriving on visual and short-form content, fact-checkers are prioritising videos for platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. These formats are proving to be more effective in reaching younger audiences and countering viral misinformation in real time.
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“For the first time, fact-checkers were asked which formats were most effective in reaching new audiences based on engagement metrics. Short videos dominated, with 74.3% of respondents citing them as the most successful.
“Infographics and visual explainers followed at 39.3%, while brief fact-checks ranked third at 35%. Other formats also saw notable engagement, including social media threads (28.6%), multimedia explainer videos (23.6%), and long-form written reports (24.3%).
Podcasts (16.4%) and email newsletters (20.7%) ranked lower, while interactive content and live Q&As were the least used.”
According to the report, nearly 53% of fact-checking organisations publish in multiple languages, either regularly (29.8%) or occasionally (22.7%), while 47.5% publish exclusively in one language.
In response to the increasing complexity of false information, many organisations are also leaning into collaboration. The report notes that 79% per cent of fact-checkers work with other organisations, including co-publishing articles, sharing databases, or jointly covering major global events such as elections.
Nurudeen Akewushola is a fact-checker with FactCheckHub. He has authored several fact checks which have contributed to the fight against information disorder. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.
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