INNOVATIVE FACT-CHECKING METHODS IN DIGITAL JOURNALISM

Abstract

The rapid development of digital technologies, in particular automated artificial intelligence systems, creates new opportunities for fact-checking in journalistic practice, but at the same time raises challenges related to ethics, reliability and transparency of the media. The relevance of the study is due to the need to adapt international innovative approaches to fact-checking to the domestic context, taking into account the peculiarities of the digital infrastructure and socio-cultural environment. The purpose of the article is a comprehensive analysis of innovative fact-checking methods used in digital journalism, with an emphasis on their effectiveness, implementation challenges and practical feasibility for Ukrainian editorial offices. The methodological basis was general scientific methods of analysis, comparison and generalization. A content analysis of sources was conducted, which allowed us to identify key tools used by leading world media and assess their relevance to the Ukrainian context. The study identified the advantages and limitations of digital fact-checking technologies, in particular the use of AI algorithms, automated platforms and databases. It was established that effective implementation of innovations in the field of fact-checking is possible only if technological solutions are combined with the development of professional standards, training of journalists and ethical support of automation processes. Particular attention is paid to the need to create localized knowledge bases and develop a national network of cooperation between fact-checkers, editorial offices and IT communities. A number of practical recommendations are proposed for improving digital fact-checking in Ukraine, which include technological integration, modernization of ethical protocols, development of transparent reporting mechanisms and formation of a stable infrastructure of trust between the media and the audience. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the systematization of modern innovative methods of fact-checking in digital media and substantiation of the prospects for their adaptation to Ukrainian realities. Prospects for further research are related to empirical testing of the proposed solutions in the activities of Ukrainian media organizations and the expansion of interdisciplinary cooperation in the field of digital journalism.