Photo/Illutration JD Vance, Ohio senator and Republican vice presidential nominee, left, and Tim Walz, Minnesota governor and Democratic vice presidential nominee, during the debate hosted by CBS in New York on Oct. 1 (REUTERS)

With only about one month left before the U.S. presidential election and Kamala Harris and Donald Trump remaining locked in a head-to-head race, the internet is rife with dubious information.

Is the information true? False? Unsubstantiated? Requires context?

Fact-checking candidates’ statements by third-party organizations has become an indispensable part of the election process.

And fact-checking helped greatly when Democrat Tim Walz and Republican JD Vance faced off in the televised vice presidential debate on Oct. 1.

Both candidates have strong personalities and are eloquent.

I watched it streamed by The New York Times, with more than 10 reporters doing real-time fact-checking, and passing their “rulings” with explanations as soon as the candidates had spoken.

In particular, I noticed the ruling of “this is exaggerated” most frequently.

When Walz said that “Donald Trump hasn’t paid any federal tax 10 to the last 15 years,” this remark was immediately ruled as “exaggerated,” with the explanation that Trump had paid $750 (110,000 yen) in federal income taxes in 2016.

And Vance’s claim that housing got “totally unaffordable because we brought in millions of illegal immigrants” was also ruled as an exaggeration.

Vice presidential hopefuls usually keep a low profile as their main task is to support the presidential candidates.

For that reason, they tend to exaggerate, but anyone following their rapid-fire deliveries does not have the time nor the means to verify the statements on the spot.

While watching the vice presidential debate and gazing at the steady stream of fact-checked statements, I wondered if I might become overly dependent on this extremely convenient setup and end up being unable to form my own judgment.

Will the day ever come when politics is completely devoid of lies and exaggerations, rendering fact-checking redundant?

—The Asahi Shimbun, Oct. 3

* * *

Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

Related News