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R0051/2026-03-31/Q002/SRC03/E01
Research R0051 — Fact-Checking Gap
Run 2026-03-31
Query Q002
Source SRC03
Evidence SRC03-E01
Type Factual

CCIV specification is explicitly archival, contains 200+ indicators across 11 categories with rudimentary confidence and bias elements.

URL: https://credweb.org/cciv

Extract

The document states: "This document is archival. New document is Credibility Signals." It was "never reviewed by the Credible Web group."

The CCIV organizes 200+ indicators across 11 major categories: Article Structure, Article/Site Metadata, Author Reputation, Claim, Inbound References, Journalistic Rigor, Logic/Reasoning, Outbound References, Publication, Reader Behavior, Revenue Model, and Rhetoric.

On the four queried features:

  1. Hierarchical evidence quality scale: Not present. Multiple-choice and Likert scales exist for individual indicators but no unified quality hierarchy.

  2. Calibrated confidence language: Present in rudimentary form. "Calibrating Confidence - Level of Confidence" asks whether authors "acknowledge uncertainty." "Calibrating Confidence - Justification" measures whether "confidence in claims seems justified." These detect confidence in content, not express confidence in assessments.

  3. Structured bias assessment: Partially present. Categories exist for hyperpartisanship and political bias evaluation, emotional valence measurement. But these are individual indicators, not a structured assessment framework.

  4. Source reliability tiering: Three-tier fact-checking reference: IFCN Verified Signatories, "approved sources," and general fact-check status. Plus publication credibility markers (Wikipedia entry, press corps membership, contact info, awards, editorial policies). But not a unified tiering system.

Relevance to Hypotheses

Hypothesis Relationship Strength
H1 Contradicts Archival status, never reviewed, no formal evaluation features
H2 Strongly supports Substantial indicator catalog with rudimentary elements of queried features
H3 Contradicts Real, extensive vocabulary exists despite archival status

Context

The CCIV represents the most comprehensive attempt to catalog credibility indicators, but its archival status and replacement by the (also incomplete) Credibility Signals specification shows the work never reached maturity.