The fact-checking mandate evolves from politics to personal security

The field of fact-checking is not static; it dynamically evolves to confront the most pressing informational threats of our era. Over the past three decades, its focus has undergone a profound transformation, shifting from the political arena to public health crises and, most recently, to the pervasive world of digital fraud. This evolution reflects a broadening understanding of where disinformation does its greatest harm.

For much of its modern history, from approximately 1993 to 2020, fact-checking was defined by its role as a political watchdog. The work was centered on scrutinizing the claims of public officials, from presidents and governors to local mayors, with a straightforward methodology: document public statements, rigorously verify them against official records and public data, and expose any inaccuracies. The primary objective was to increase the political cost of falsehoods. This mission earned the practice both widespread public reliance and, often, intense political animosity. It cemented the image of the fact-checker as a crucial, if sometimes controversial, referee in democratic discourse.

The COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2020 marked a pivotal turning point. The global health crisis shifted the stakes of disinformation from a threat to democracy to a direct threat to human life. In response, fact-checkers mobilized with unprecedented urgency to debunk a deluge of falsehoods surrounding the novel coronavirus, vaccines, and fraudulent cures. This period fundamentally altered public perception, demonstrating that the rigorous verification of information was an essential service for safeguarding lives and promoting sound public health decisions.

Since 2024, a third critical wave has emerged, particularly in Brazil, at the dangerous intersection of disinformation and financial crime. Online scams, phishing attempts, and fraudulent schemes have grown in both volume and sophistication, creating a new front in the war on falsehoods.

As an industry leader, Agência Lupa has pioneered efforts in this space, launching a dedicated project to investigate economic hoaxes and producing the first comprehensive report on this phenomenon. Our findings are stark: not only are these financial threats escalating, but the core methodology of fact-checking — critical thinking, source verification, and transparency — is no longer just for promoting civic or health literacy. It has become an indispensable skill set for personal and financial survival in an increasingly treacherous digital landscape.

The fact-checker’s method is now a key tool for everyone to navigate and defend against these fraudulent attempts. Please visit SeráQueÉGolpe.com.br (our dedicated platform to scams) and our latest report on this topic: “The Anatomy of a Scam: How Social Media and Messaging Apps are Exploited by Scammers and Fraudsters in Brazil.”

2026 will require in-depth anti-scam work.