You should occasionally fact check the fact checkers. There are no real fact checkers, that is just a self assigned marketing label that some journalists or media outlets have assigned to themselves. Once you have caught them doing it wrong several times, you may understand.

As for looking critical at studies: the article didn't look critically at the studies they cited.

The article being "straightforward": the problem is that it all sounds plausible, so readers are less likely to question the details.