Partisan news users in the United States and India on either side seldom use fact checkers

Abstract

Fact checkers have low reach, and their limited efficacy is often attributed to perceived partisanship. Yet little research exists investigating the reach of or engagement with fact checkers among their intended audiences. We argue that given their small audience size, fact checkers’ usage is likely driven by heavy media users regardless of their partisan leanings. We examined a slice of Twitter (X) users, following certain partisan and fact checking outlets from India and the United States. Our analysis of over 7 million news users suggests that exposure to and engagement with fact checkers remains largely restricted to heavier users, with little evidence that these interventions penetrate among selectively partisan news audiences. This study is thus among the first to highlight complementary explanations for the limited efficacy of fact checkers beyond the partisan inclinations of either audiences or news outlets.