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The Full Fact Podcast

Full Fact fights bad information. We are the UK’s independent fact checking organisation, bringing you weekly podcasts with world-leading experts on different themes of misinformation. We also release a three minute Fact Blast on Fridays to keep you well informed going into the weekend.<br/><p style="color:grey; font-size:0.75em;"> See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.</p>

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RNA Covid-19 vaccines will not change your DNA, The Pfizer Covid-19 candidate vaccine is not too cold to be called a vaccine - and FOIs sent to NHS trusts are real, but don't show the full story. A week of independent, impartial fact checks in a quick three minute blast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - December 4th

‘Politician’ is consistently polled as one of the least trustworthy professions in the UK. But how much of a problem is misinformation in politics? And how can fact checkers keep politicians - and the media - honest? We discuss with former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and new Conservative MP Selaine Saxby. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Full Fact Podcast: Politicians

The Daily Mail’s chart of Covid-19 death figures doesn’t use the real numbers, MP Nadine Dorries says email from her office on vaccines does not reflect her views, and research suggesting increased Covid-19 risk for dog-owners may be barking up the wrong tree. Our weekly hit of fact checks in less time than it takes to listen to a song. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - November 27th

False information is created much faster and at a much greater volume than a human can possibly keep up with. But will this always be the case? Can technology prevent bad information from spreading, the moment it is created? How far away is this technology, and what tools do we already have now? The founder and the head of our Automated Fact Checking team explain. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Full Fact Podcast: Automated Fact Checking

The Covid-19 recovery rate is not 99.9%, the infection fatality rate is higher than 0.1%, and the number of people dying right now is not the same as in any other year. A week of our independent, impartial fact checks in a quick three minute(ish) blast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - November 20th

Vaccine hesitancy has been identified by the WHO as one of the top ten health concerns facing the world. A low vaccine uptake led to the removal of the UK’s ‘measles free’ status recently, and misinformation is only exacerbating the problem. So why are people reluctant to be vaccinated, despite the proven efficacy of vaccines? We speak to the Director of the Vaccine Confidence Project, Professor Heidi Larson. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Full Fact Podcast: Vaccine Misinformation

The government is not proposing to make a Covid-19 vaccine mandatory, there's no evidence aluminium in vaccines causes Alzheimer's disease, and a Daily Express opinion piece is wrong to allege evidence of widespread voter fraud in US elections. A week of our independent, impartial fact checks in a quick three minute blast! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - November 13th

From the moon landing being a hoax to the Queen being a reptile - conspiracy theories are everywhere. But with the advent of social media, it’s never been easier for them to be shared. But why do people believe them? What is it about certain people that makes them more susceptible to these theories? And can they be convinced otherwise once they’ve taken hold? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Full Fact Podcast: The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories

The Daily Mirror misrepresents research on public support for Brexit, BBC presenters did remove their poppies as they were wearing them earlier than BBC guidelines allow, and a Covid-19 vaccine is not being administered via Covid-19 nasal swab tests. A week of independent, impartial fact checks in less than three minutes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - November 6th

During an election period there’s a lot to gain and a lot to lose. Access to good information is vital to making an informed decision. But how difficult is it to avoid bad information in the lead up to the polls? We speak to Craig Silverman, the man who coined the phrase ‘fake news,’ about the recent US elections and compare the misinformation landscape to the UK’s. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Full Fact Podcast: Elections

What does research tell us about "Long Covid?" How many doctors are there in the NHS compared to last year? And will soy sauce get cheaper once the UK leaves the EU? All answered in our three-minute Fact Blast! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - October 30th

What makes a bot bad? Bots have been used for years in customer service for good, but what happens when they are programmed for wrongdoing? Is what you are seeing on social media real? How can you know whether the person you’re interacting with is human? We delve into the secrets of social media bots, and the science behind them. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Full Fact Podcast: Social Media Bots

What exactly is an Australia-style Brexit deal? Where are Covid-19 results registered for university students? And how are cases traced in schools? All answered in our three-minute Fact Blast! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - October 23rd

We often think of misinformation as a modern problem. But its roots go back thousands of years. In this episode we explore the history of false information and track how it has developed into the ‘fake news’ climate we see today. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Full Fact Podcast: The History of False Information

On this week's blast - contrary to what you might have seen or read, Covid and flu statistics are not being combined by Public Health England, data comparisons about Covid deaths are published by the Office for National Statistics, and the Irish test and trace system did not cost less than a million pounds. A week of independent, impartial fact checks all in a quick three minute blast! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - October 16th

Is false information ‘everywhere?’ How does misinformation manifest itself in other nations? We talk to fact checkers from across the globe to explore the similarities in misinformation, and what makes the UK unique. We look at patterns in Europe before moving over to Africa and the Americas to discover the different landscapes of information in our respective continents. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Full Fact Podcast: Global Misinformation

On this week's blast - Boris Johnson makes a mistake when talking about lump-sum payments for those self-isolating, Sun journalist gets it wrong on London crime figures, and a viral Facebook post makes a false claim about the "second-wave." A week of independent, impartial fact checks in a quick three minute blast! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - October 9th

What happens when you can no longer believe what you’re seeing? Deep Fakes have often been touted as an emerging tool of disinformation, but how big is the problem now, and how big will it get? World-leading photo forensics expert Dr Hany Farid joins us from California to explain how the technology is improving, and whether the detection technology can keep up with its progress. Could you personally spot a ‘deep fake’ - and will you be able to in ten years’ time? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Full Fact Podcast: Deep Fakes

On the Fact Blast this week: Claims about who runs the Test and Trace app, a misreading of data leads to newspapers publishing false information about where Covid is spreading - and an fitness account on Instagram makes obesity claims that could be misinterpreted. A week of independent, impartial fact checks - in a quick three minute blast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - October 2nd

Question Time testing muddle, the 'COBRA photo' that wasn't a COBRA photo, and debunking the claim that the government are harvesting our DNA from Covid-19 tests..! A week of independent, impartial fact checks in a quick three minute blast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - September 25th

The UK/Japan trade deal, Covid testing boycotts - and a false claim about poppies re-emerges for another year. A week of independent, impartial fact checks in a quick three minute blast!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - September 18th

Matt Hancock and Jonathan Ashworth clash in the Commons, University and College Union share unrealistic Covid prediction - and some wildly inaccurate death figures get mixed up with the truth on Facebook. All on this week's three minute Fact Blast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - September 11th

Fact checking Matt Hancock's claims about suicide figures in lockdown, viral social media posts about Children in Need and Black Lives Matter, and debunking significantly exaggerated asylum seeker figures. It's a three minute Fact Blast from the UK's independent, impartial fact checking charity.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - September 4th

Flu deaths vs Covid deaths, the risk of infection in schools, and a Labour MP's claims about tax and asylum seekers - fact checked by our independent and impartial team. Go into the long weekend informed with a three minute Fact Blast!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - August 28th

TV licenses for asylum seekers, a fake quote going viral, and the true cost of the Track and Trace app. Get a week's worth of our independent, impartial fact checks in a digestible three minute blast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - August 21st

Flawed polls are on the menu in this week's Fact Blast - seven days of fact checking in a quick three minute dose!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - August 14th

A week of independent, impartial fact checks - in under three minutes. In this week's blast - Minister "misspeaks" on testing figures - Viral egging video was just a yolk - Widely publicised poll was so flawed you couldn't even respond with the correct answer.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - August 7th

Get the right information at a time when good information has never been more important, with our three minute weekly fact blast. This week we go through Dominic Raab's claims quarantine, a viral analogy comparing the Blitz Spirit to mask wearing - and more vaccine misinformation circulating on Facebook.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - July 31st

A week's worth of our fact checks in a three minute blast to keep you up to date going into the weekend. In this week's blast: NHS workers' overtime, The BBC's coverage of Vera Lynn's funeral and inaccurate malnutrition reporting. The Full Fact Podcast will return for a second series soon, until then you can enjoy our short fact blasts every Friday morning!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - July 24th

A week's worth of our fact checks in a three minute blast to keep you up to date going into the weekend. In this week's blast: face mask effectiveness, Leicester's local lockdown and unrealistic claims from Independent SAGE. The Full Fact Podcast will return for a second series soon!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - July 17th

A week's worth of our fact checks in a three minute blast to keep you up to date going into the weekend. In this week's blast: coronavirus 'cures,' Facebook 'scams' and Boris Johnson's testing claims. The Full Fact Podcast will return for a second series soon!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Full Fact's Fact Blast - July 10th

What has the coronavirus taught us about misinformation? What patterns have we noticed emerging throughout the pandemic? And what can we learn from bad information spreading in other European nations? (Almost) the entire Full Fact team discuss these questions and more. If you enjoyed this podcast, chip in £10 and support Full Fact's work: fullfact.org/podcast 
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The Full Fact Podcast - A Coronavirus Retrospective

The team discuss what makes a Track and Trace app "functional," how to spot a fake Black Lives Matter poster - and why a rumour about hand sanitiser spontaneously combusting spread so quickly. Listen to The Full Fact Podcast every Friday morning. 
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The Full Fact Podcast - The State of Fact Checking

Fact checking Marcus Rashford's letter to MPs, Black Lives Matter protests and counter-protests, and the Test and Trace app. Join host Alexis Conran and our team of fact checkers as we go through the viral claims made on social media and in traditional newspapers this week. 
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The Full Fact Podcast - Black Lives Matter Protests

The Full Fact team discuss the limitations of what we can say about early lockdowns, establish the facts about antibody test accuracy, and debunk a popular social media myth about Italian coronavirus autopsies. 
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The Full Fact Podcast - Early Lockdowns

Our fact checking team take a deep dive into health misinformation. Why does it spread? Who spreads it? And how susceptible are we? We also address claims about the UK's testing record, the safety of schools returning and and explain the potential danger of phishing scams exploiting the launch of the NHS Test and Trace service. 
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The Full Fact Podcast - Why Health Misinformation Spreads

Our fact checking team analyse Dominic Cummings' trip to Durham against the law and government guidance at the time, look into claims that 50 French schools have had to close because of new coronavirus cases, and answer your questions. 
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The Full Fact Podcast - Dominic Cummings' Trip To Durham

People have been quick to make comparisons between the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic and the current Covid-19 crisis. Our team of fact checkers are joined by the author of 'Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World' to shed light on the truths and mistruths about the pandemic. We also discuss nurses pay, zombie claims and misleading photography. 
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The Full Fact Podcast - What can the Spanish Flu teach us?

Full Fact's fact checking team discuss the latest false claims about the coronavirus. Alexis Conran and the team try to clear up the confusion surrounding the new lockdown guidelines, and we explain what makes a good poll. 
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The Full Fact Podcast - Clarifying The Lockdown Rules

In the fourth episode of the Full Fact Podcast, our fact checking team tackle claims on coronavirus testing, shielding, and supposed 'government Twitter bots'. And we take a deep-dive into the Covid-19 death statistics. 
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The Full Fact Podcast - The 'True' Coronavirus Death Toll

In the third episode of the Full Fact Podcast, members of our fact-checking team join Alexis Conran to discuss the latest false claims, including 'old school fake news' about the coronavirus vaccine and a fake viral post attributed to Jennifer Saunders. We also take a deep-dive into The Full Fact Report: 2020 discussing the causes and consequences of bad information over the last decade. 
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The Full Fact Podcast - The Causes and Consequences of Bad Information

The second episode of the Full Fact Podcast focusing on the UK's coronavirus testing efforts. Host Alexis Conran is joined by members of our fact checking team to discuss the latest false claims about Covid-19, including fake nurses, a different kind of fake nurses and the effectiveness of masks. 
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The Full Fact Podcast - Test, Test, Test

The first episode of the Full Fact Podcast. Members of our fact-checking team join Alexis Conran to discuss the latest false claims about the coronavirus, with a particular spotlight on the 5G bad information that has come to the fore in recent weeks. 
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The Full Fact Podcast - 5G and the coronavirus

In this final episode of Full Fact's election podcast, we look at each of topics we've written our manifesto reports about for this election, these are: health, immigration, the economy, Europe, education and housing. We then end the podcast by speaking to Full Fact director Will Moy about trust in politics.  
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The Big Picture and Can We Trust Politicians?

Will Moy, the director of Full Fact, join Poppy and Phoebe to talk about the manifestos. Joseph O'Leary talks to the team about immigration.  
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Manifesto Report, Immigration and your Questions

This week we talk food bank claims and we ask are crime rates falling? We also have an interview with superstar statistician Sir David Speigelhalter and we ask our resident comedian James Ross all about monitoring claims at Full Fact.  
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Food Banks, Crime Rates and Sir David Speigelhalter

This week Poppy and Phoebe from the team at Full Fact are checking claims from the major parties' manifestos.  
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Manifesto Presto

Poppy Damon and Phoebe Arnold from the team at Full Fact take a look at the facts behind GP waiting times, foreign aid and the claim that 1 in 3 children leave primary school unable to read or write properly. 
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GPs, Foreign Aid and Education

Poppy and Phoebe from the team at Full Fact, discuss the facts about zero hour contracts and how much money has been spent on the NHS in the last five years.  
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