What does Abendfokus fact-check?
Abendfokus verifies every factual claim that appears in our articles, including statistics, historical dates, names, quotations, policy details, economic data, and institutional processes. Our fact-checking covers all editorial content — from breaking news to long-form analysis — across Swedish politics, economy, culture, and society.
We do not restrict verification to high-profile stories. A short piece on municipal budgeting receives the same standard of checking as a major investigative report. The fact-checking team, led by Lisa Otto (Ansvarig för faktagranskning), examines each assertion against original sources before the article is cleared for publication. If a claim cannot be verified through reliable documentary or testimonial evidence, we either remove it or attribute it clearly to a named source with an appropriate caveat.
How do we rank our sources?
Abendfokus maintains a clear source hierarchy that prioritises primary documents, official records, and direct access over secondary or anonymous claims. This ranking system, documented in full on our Sources & Standards page, guides every editorial decision we make.
At the top of the hierarchy are official government records, court documents, parliamentary proceedings, regulatory filings, and direct interviews conducted by our reporters. Next come reputable secondary sources such as established Swedish and international news agencies, peer-reviewed research, and institutional reports. Anonymous sources are used only in exceptional circumstances, and the reason for granting anonymity is always explained to the reader. Social-media posts, unverified forum content, and material from unknown or unverifiable origins sit at the bottom of the hierarchy and are never treated as authoritative without independent corroboration.
How do we handle rumours and unverified claims?
Rumours, unverified social-media posts, and speculative claims are clearly labelled as such whenever they appear in our reporting. We never present unverified information as established fact, and we explain the degree of certainty — or uncertainty — to our readers in plain language.
When a rumour is sufficiently widespread to warrant coverage, we publish a short note explaining what is being circulated, what we have been able to confirm, and what remains unverified. As soon as new information becomes available, we update the article and flag the change. This approach ensures that readers are never left guessing about the reliability of a claim. Our editorial policy at Editorial Policy contains further detail on how we distinguish between confirmed and unconfirmed information.
What you can expect from us
Every article you read on Abendfokus has passed through a structured verification process: a named writer drafts it, an editor reviews it, and a fact-checker examines all factual assertions before publication. This applies to all content, including stories that incorporate AI-assisted research tools.
The process does not end at publication. If a reader or a staff member flags a potential error, the article is re-examined by the fact-checking team. When an error is confirmed, a correction is issued and the article is updated with a clear note explaining the change. Our journalists are also required to disclose any uncertainty they encountered during reporting, so that readers can assess the strength of the evidence behind a story. You can read more about the people who produce this work on our Our Team page.
Who oversees fact-checking and sensitive articles?
Our Fact-Checking Lead, Lisa Otto (emma.sandberg@abendfokus.de), oversees the verification process and sets standards for source verification and corrections. For sensitive or high-impact articles, Chefredaktör Thomas Bergmann reviews the reporting personally before publication.
Sensitive articles include those that touch on ongoing legal proceedings, allegations of misconduct, national security matters, or stories that could significantly affect an individual’s reputation or livelihood. In these cases, the Standards Lead (a role held jointly by Thomas Bergmann and Lisa Otto on such articles) examines the source chain, the corroboration process, and any potential conflicts of interest before the piece is approved. This extra layer of review is designed to catch any remaining gaps in verification and to ensure that the publication meets its own rigorous standards before the story reaches readers.
How can readers report a potential error?
Readers who spot a possible error in any article can report it directly to our dedicated fact-checking desk at factcheck@abendfokus.de. We review every report promptly and respond with our findings — whether a correction is needed or the information is confirmed as accurate.
When you write to the fact-checking desk, please include the article URL, the claim you believe may be incorrect, and any supporting evidence or source you have. We aim to acknowledge receipt within one business day and to complete the initial assessment within five business days. If the claim turns out to be accurate, we explain the reasoning and the sources we used. If it is incorrect, we initiate the correction process immediately. Reader reports are one of the most valuable tools we have for maintaining accuracy, and we take every submission seriously.
How do we handle and publish corrections?
When Abendfokus confirms an error, we issue a correction promptly and transparently. The corrected article carries a note explaining what was changed and why. Our full Corrections Policy details the procedure, including how readers can track changes over time.
Corrections are appended to the top of the affected article in a clearly labelled box. Minor errors — such as a misstated figure or a misspelled name — are corrected with a brief note. Substantive errors that change the meaning of a story are accompanied by a more detailed explanation, and the article may be re-reviewed by the original editor and fact-checker. All corrections are logged internally and reported to the editorial team during weekly newsroom meetings. We also maintain a corrections archive, accessible via the Corrections Policy page, so that readers can review the history of changes made to any piece of content.
Questions or concerns?
If you have a question about our fact-checking methods or wish to raise a concern about a specific article, please contact our fact-checking desk at factcheck@abendfokus.de. For broader editorial inquiries, you can reach our newsroom at editorial@abendfokus.de or use the general contact form on our Contact page. Formal complaints should be submitted through our Complaints Procedure, which outlines the steps we take to investigate and respond to concerns about our editorial content. We are committed to transparency and to correcting our work whenever we fall short.