OTTUMWA —
Let's face it, this presidential campaign is already getting ugly. With the conventions coming up in the next couple weeks, that's not going to change.
But wouldn't it be nice if you could fact-check the politicians on the spot?
You can, provided you have a smartphone and PolitiFact's new "Settle It" app. The app, developed by PolitiFact and the Poynter Institute, with funding from the Knight Foundation, allows people to check politicians' statements against what the facts really say.
Four options appear on the app's homescreen: Settle It, The PolitiFact Challenge, Trending and Favorites. Settle It allows people to search by name or keyword to settle specific questions. There's a reason the app calls it "PolitiFact's Argument Ender."
While that might be the draw for many (who doesn't like having the last word in a political argument?), the challenge part of the app is pure fun.
The challenge is a quick, five-question quiz with three options for answers: true, false, and "Pants on Fire." You get points for getting questions right. Gain enough points and you move up through levels like intern and Congressional aide.
While the challenge is fun, it's not up-to-the-minute and produces the same five questions until the next quiz is released. In other words, it gets repetitive fast.
But if you're looking for a quick way to check on whether that campaign ad is accurate or if you can trust what a pundit is saying, the Settle It app may well be for you.
CNHI/Southeast Iowa
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