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Analysis of institutional authors

Lopez-Marcos, CasandraAuthorPuebla-Martinez, BelenCorresponding Author
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Debunking practices and topics: Fact-checking agencies from the United Kingdom, France and Spain

Publicated to:Catalan Journal Of Communication & Cultural Studies. 16 (2): 257-275 - 2025-12-01 16(2), DOI: 10.1386/cjcs_00112_1

Authors: Hidalgo-cobo, Pablo; Lopez-marcos, Casandra; Puebla-martinez, Belen

Affiliations

Univ Rey Juan Carlos, Campus Fuenlabrada,Camino Molino 5, Fuenlabrada 28942, Spain - Author

Abstract

This study focuses on debunking social media hoaxes as a critical issue for both fact checkers and democracies, as it is partially linked to the international and geopolitical scope of disinformation. The objective is to compare the debunking practices of seven fact-checking agencies from United Kingdom, France and Spain classified by its international, national or regional scope: Les Observateurs based on the analysis of content over eight hundred posts between July and August 2023 was conducted. The results partly confirm the objective of debunking as preventing the spread of a story, since the public health approach based on verification (labelling as f'alse' rather offering in-depth explanation) is the prevailing trend, irrespective of the section. Nevertheless, the public health or public reason approach depends on the agency, as some agencies - including the two French - provide more detailed explanations with clear public reason approach, even in the treatment of international conflicts. Results also show significant homogeneity in terms of the major issues covered (inclusion although the relative weight of each section varies significantly in each agency, including those of the same scope.

Keywords
DebunkingDisinformationFact checkersMisinformationPublic healthPublic reasoPublic reasonVerificatioVerification

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Catalan Journal Of Communication & Cultural Studies due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency Scopus (SJR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2025, it was in position , thus managing to position itself as a Q2 (Segundo Cuartil), in the category Cultural Studies. Notably, the journal is positioned en el Cuartil Q3 for the agency WoS (JCR) in the category Communication.

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-05-07:

  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 3 (PlumX).
Leadership analysis of institutional authors

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author () and Last Author (Puebla Martínez, María Belén).

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been Puebla Martínez, María Belén.