In fascist states, fact checkers can be likened to several state-controlled entities designed to enforce and propagate the regime's narrative:
Propaganda Ministries: In fascist regimes, propaganda was often centralized and managed by specific ministries or offices. For example, in Nazi Germany, the Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda under Joseph Goebbels worked to control and shape public opinion. Similarly, fact checkers in such states could serve to reinforce state-approved narratives by discrediting or censoring information that contradicts the regime's views.
Censorship Mechanisms: Fact checkers in fascist states might operate similarly to censorship bodies, where they not only verify facts but also control the dissemination of information. This is comparable to how the Soviet Union's Glavlit (Main Administration for Literary and Publishing Affairs) ensured that no content could be published without state approval.
Political Policing: In some contexts, fact checkers can act akin to political police or informers, like the Gestapo in Nazi Germany or the Stasi in East Germany, who monitored and reported on dissenting voices. Here, fact checkers might be seen as modern equivalents, monitoring and flagging misinformation, but with the potential to suppress opposition under the guise of combating falsehoods.
State Surveillance: In fascist regimes, surveillance was a key tool to maintain control over the populace. Fact checkers can be likened to this surveillance if they are used to monitor and verify information in a way that supports the state's narrative while discrediting any opposition.
The comparison isn't about the act of fact-checking itself but about how it can be manipulated in authoritarian contexts to serve political ends, often through biased or selective verification processes. This is distinct from independent, objective fact-checking in democratic societies where the goal is to inform the public accurately rather than to control or mislead.
