• Episode 309

When Facts Aren’t Enough: Rethinking the Role of Fact-Checking

Even in an age of fact-checking, misinformation keeps winning hearts and headlines. In this episode, Matt Jordan and Cory Barker with Dr. Michelle Amazeen about why corrections don’t always change minds, how people perceive fact-checking, and what that means for trust in media. It’s a deep dive into the psychology, politics, and power dynamics behind what we choose to believe.

About our guest

Portrait of Michele Amazeen

Dr. Michelle A. Amazeen is Associate Dean of Research, Associate Professor of Mass Communication, and Director of the Communication Research Center at Boston University’s College of Communication. Her research explores persuasion and misinformation, including how people recognize and resist misleading media. A contributor to The Debunking Handbook 2020 and ranked among the top 2% of highly cited scholars globally, her work has informed policy worldwide and been presented to organizations such as the FTC, EPA, and FDA. She currently co-leads BU’s Climate Disinformation Initiative and is the author of the forthcoming book Content Confusion (MIT Press, 2025).