TikTok and the Spanish fact-checkers in the coverage of the Campanar fire and the DANA of Valencia

Abstract

This study examines the role of Spanish news fact-checking profiles, signatories of the International Fact-Checking Network, on TikTok in covering the apartment building fire in the Campanar neighbourhood and the DANA (weather phenomenon in Valencia) on October 29. Using a codebook, a quantitative analysis was conducted on the 658 posts shared by the profiles @malditobulo, @newtraltiktok, @efeverifica, and @verificat.es between January 1 and December 31, 2024. The results reveal the coexistence of fact-checking and explanatory content across all profiles, with a predominance of nationally focused content over international topics in most cases. Regarding topics related to the Valencian region, the most frequently verified content was related to deaths, humanitarian aid organizations, and financial assistance. This type of content generated a higher number of user interactions compared to the other analyzed posts. In light of growing concerns about the reliability of the internet as an information source, our study highlights the need to promote the virality of fact-checked content over unfounded news.