Veracity

Veracity is the quality of being true, accurate, and honest, describing how closely a statement, claim, belief, or dataset corresponds to reality or facts. The term derives from the Latin verax, meaning true, and is related to verus, "true." In philosophy, veracity intersects with theories of truth and with virtue ethics: truth-telling is seen as a fundamental commitment, though not always unproblematic in sensitive situations. As a moral principle, veracity guides communication and disclosure, while allowances may be made for confidentiality, harm avoidance, or beneficence.

In professional practice, veracity underpins informed consent, accurate reporting, and reliable evidence. In medicine and research, it requires honest disclosure of risks and limitations; in journalism, it underwrites fact-checking, corrections, and accountability.

In data and information science, veracity refers to the trustworthiness and quality of data. It encompasses accuracy, completeness, consistency, provenance, and resistance to bias or manipulation. Data governance and quality assurance aim to improve veracity through validation, source verification, auditing, and transparent methodologies. The modern information environment also highlights challenges to veracity, including misinformation, disinformation, and noise that obscure truth.

Veracity is usually viewed as a matter of degree rather than an absolute property, dependent on evidence, standards, and context. Related concepts include truthfulness, honesty, accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness.