Narrative monitoring and argument-checking: Enhancing effectiveness in countering disinformation beyond fact-checking

In the October 2024 flash floods in Spain, social media posts falsely claimed authorities were concealing the number of casualties. The narrative centered on a flooded parking structure in Valencia, where hundreds of bodies were falsely claimed to be trapped. This narrative gained traction even after videos showing the premises had been evacuated. This illustrates a growing challenge for fact checkers: During crises, storylines that group isolated claims into emotionally resonant and causal arguments can prevail and persist beyond factual corrections. We explore how narrative monitoring and argument checking can complement fact-checking, shifting focus from single claims to the discursive logics that make them enduring.