5 Fact-checking Sites
Advise from Professional Fact-Checkers
- Leave the site to research it.
- Ignore the order of search results in Google.
- Are the sources cited? Is there documentation?
- Watch for “click-bait.”
- Watch for inflammatory language, as well as more subtle forms of persuasion.
- If the site allows readers to comment, read them.
- Read multiple sources of information to get a variety of viewpoints and media frames.
Some Reputable Fact-Checking Organizations
The following organizations are generally regarded as reputable fact-checking organizations focused on U.S. national news:
- Politifact
- Factcheck.org
- Washington Post Fact Checker
- Snopes
- Truth be Told
- NPR Fact-Check
- Lie Detector (Univision, Spanish language)
- Hoax Slayer
Respected specialty sites cover niche areas such as climate or celebrities. Here are a few examples:
There are many fact-checking sites outside the U.S.:
- FactsCan (Canada)
- El Polígrafo (Mexico)
- The Hound (Mexico)
- Guardian Reality Check (UK)
- BBC Reality Check (UK)
- Channel 4 Fact Check (UK)
- Full Fact (UK)
At the TEDSalon in London, Markham Nolan shares the investigative techniques he and his team use to verify information in real-time, to let you know if that Statue of Liberty image has been doctored or if that video leaked from Syria is legitimate.[1]
- Nolan, M. (n.d.). How to separate fact from fiction online [Video]. http://www.ted.com/talks/markham_nolan_how_to_separate_fact_and_fiction_online ↵
