10 Best Fact-Checking Sites to Fight Misinformation

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Publishing misinformation has become very easy with ready access to the internet, and it 

leads to controversial and conflicting events.

People search for everything online, which often leads them to fake information.

People tend to believe and share those pieces of information without verifying them with legitimate sources. With the increasing consumption of the internet, there is also an increase of fake sites and misinformation prevailing worldwide. 

We need to be more vigilant about the reliability of the information we are writing, reading, and sharing through various online platforms. It also pushes us to take an active part in researching and confirming the credibility of sources.

Here are 10 best fact-checking sites that will make the world or the internet a better place to live in. We all should do 2-3 mins of fact-checking before sharing or believing the online information.

Best Fact-Checking Sites to Fight Misinformation

1. FactCheck.org

FactCheck.org is a non-profit site that provides you with facts about US politics.

  • It is a non-partisan site and has been providing facts about US politics since 2003.
  • It monitors misinformation about what people say in debates, interviews, and tv ads about politics.
  • This site is a project of AAPC (Annenberg public policy center) at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • The homepage of this fact-checking site has convenient feed scrolls with a clear title about the trending issues, and users can learn more about the topic by clicking on it.

2. Snopes

Snopes has been fact-checking misinformation since before google. It has expertise in debunking misinformation that you find on the internet.

  • Snopes was started in 1994, and it is popular amongst researchers and journalists.
  • It provides facts about everything, especially politics, urban myths, and in-depth explanations from various experts. 
  • It holds a long record of being unbiased, and it verifies articles in the old conventional way with a human fact checker.
  • You can email the link of the fact that you want to verify, and they’ll provide you with sources that they looked up.

3. PolitiFact

As the name suggests, PolitiFact is all about verifying information related to politics.

  • PolitiFact is one of the most significant US fact-checking newsrooms and was awarded Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting.
  • It exposes all types of misinformation regarding politics with excellent and nuanced reporting.
  • To verify the claims made by politicians and the general public, it provides you with a long list of sources that they researched.
  • It is run by the well-known Poynter Institute (founder of the international fact-checking network).
  • It is controlled by Tampa Bay Times.

4. The Washington Post Fact Checker

Washington Post fact checker is a project of the Washington Post run by its diplomatic correspondent for fact-checking political claims.

  • This site rates the preciseness of the political claims and offers expert and critical analysis of what politicians have stated in a week.
  • It provides facts in narratives set by some extremists. It has columns that provide you with well-sourced articles to explain the claim in detail.
  • It runs a “Pinocchio test” to rate the degree of falsehood.

5. Full fact

Full fact is a UK-renowned fact-checking website centering on claims made by media, public figures, and politicians.

  • Fact-checkers and campaigners find viral posts from social media to expose and counter misleading people on the internet.
  • It runs “Viral Posts on Facebook,” where it lists outrageous claims and exposes those claims by providing detailed explanations and legitimate sources.

6. OpenSecrets

OpenSecrets is a fact-checking website that tracks not only political claims but also money in US politics.  

  • This fact-checking site was started by CSR (Center for Responsive Politics) in 1983.
  • It keeps track of campaign contributions, money lobbying in electoral politics, and firms that are passing money into politics.
  • It is a reliable source for various mainstream media like the New York Times, CNN, etc.
  • It has become a fact-checking website with one of the largest databases of political beneficiaries and donors.

7. Media Bias/Fact check

Media Bias/ Fact Check is an online media outlet that compares the credibility and bias of news sources.

  • MBFC is zealous about informing people about media biases and misinformed news practices.
  • It also provides fact-checks on news stories and media bias related to the united states.
  • Funding for this site comes from third-party advertising and charitable donations.

8. ProPublica

ProPublica is an online newsroom fact-checking site that is independent and is developing in investigative journalism.

  •  It has been awarded Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting, investigative journalism, and public services.
  •  This site’s coverage is beyond politics ranging from education to criminal justice.
  • The Ford Foundation, Knight Foundation, and other philanthropic institutes fund it.
  • It has one of the largest local reporting networks, as it relies on local information more than other sources of information.

9. SM Hoax Slayer

SM Hoax Slayer is a fact-checking site that busts misinformation on social media platforms.

  • It updates its users through its social media channels and is very quick to expose false claims.
  • It is a reliable source for mainstream media, including NavBharat Times. 
  • It is run by volunteers and funded mainly by users and ads.

10. AfricaCheck

AfricaCheck is a non-profit fact-checking site that checks claims made by public figures and politicians in Africa.

  • This site focuses on raising the quality of information available online across the continent. It produces reports in English and French language.
  • This site has a collection of reliable facts, sources, factsheets, blogs, podcasts, etc., for people to verify the information circulating on the continent.
  • Facts are thoroughly researched and verified by a team of researchers and various experts.
  • It covers a wide range of issues, including social problems, politics, and health.

FAQs

  1. What are some of the legit fact-checking websites?

Here are some of the most popular and legit websites for checking facts online-

  • Factcheck.org
  • Snopes
  • ProPublica, and more. 
  1. What are the websites you must use before sharing information?

It is essential to check your facts before ehc=sharing anything online. Here are a few websites that you might use-

  • Politifact
  • Snopes
  • Washington Post fact checker, and more. 

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