“A fact is a truth unsexed,” Kahlil Gibran wrote in his book of aphorisms “Sand and Foam.” Unsexed but essential, facts help us distinguish reality from fiction, real news from fake news.
A good journalist will shape them into reports that later produce the knowledge necessary for a free and self-governing public — one of the main principles of ethical journalism.
This is the mission of FactCheck.org, one of the oldest news fact-checking websites in the United States. But it’s not the only one. In this article, I share 10 best FactCheck.org alternatives that do the same but in their own unique way.
Let’s dive in.
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1. FactCheck.org News Fact-Checking Website
We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.
We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.
FactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The APPC was established by publisher and philanthropist Walter Annenberg to create a community of scholars within the University of Pennsylvania that would address public policy issues at the local, state and federal levels.
Click here to read FactCheck.org
2. PolitiFact.com News Fact-Checking Website
PolitiFact started in 2007 as an election-year project of the Tampa Bay Times (then named the St. Petersburg Times), Florida’s largest daily newspaper.
From the beginning, PolitiFact focused on looking at specific statements made by politicians and rating them for accuracy.
PolitiFact is run by the editors and journalists who make up the PolitiFact team. No one tells us what to write about or how to rate statements. We do so independently, using our news judgment.
Click here to read PolitiFact.com
3. Snopes.com News Fact-Checking Website
When misinformation obscures the truth and readers don’t know what to trust, Snopes’ fact-checking and original investigative reporting lights the way to evidence-based and contextualized analysis. We always link to and document our sources so readers are empowered to do independent research and make up their own minds.
Snopes got its start in 1994, investigating urban legends, hoaxes, and folklore. As demand for reliable fact checks grew, so did Snopes. Now it’s the oldest and largest fact-checking site online, widely regarded by journalists, folklorists, and readers as an invaluable research companion.
Snopes.com is an independent publication under the company “Snopes Media Group Inc.,” which is owned by Chris Richmond and Drew Schoentrup (each owning 50%).
Snopes is a member of IFCN and in compliance with the International Fact Checking Network’s highest standards of combating misinformation online. Should you need to file a complaint with IFCN, you may do so here but please contact us directly.
Explore our FAQ to learn more about us, or consider becoming a Snopes member. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Click here to read Snopes.com
4. LeadStories.com News Fact-Checking Website
Lead Stories is an award-winning innovative fact checking and debunking website at the intersection of big data and journalism that launched in 2015.
Our editorial team originally just used the technology provided by Trendolizer™ (patent granted) to quickly find the most trending content on the internet to write about but our mantra has always been “Just Because It’s Trending Doesn’t Mean It’s True.”
Originally started as a site about what was currently trending on the internet in general (and in some cases if it was actually true) we gradually shifted into full time fact checking ever since the primaries of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election.
Nowadays we specifically hunt for trending stories, images, videos and posts that contain false information in order to fact check them as quickly as possible. We tend to work very fast because we actively monitor the fake news ecosystem and we don’t have to wait for reader tips or reports before getting started on a story. You can read more about how we work here.
Click here to read LeadStories.com
5. MediaBiasFactCheck.com News Fact-Checking Website
Founded in 2015, Media Bias/Fact Check (MBFC) is an independent website that has promoted awareness of media bias and misinformation by rating the bias, factual accuracy, and credibility of media sources, large and small.
Media Bias/Fact Check relies on human evaluators to determine the bias of media sources and the level of overall factual reporting through a combination of objective measures and subjective analysis using our stated methodology.
Dave Van Zandt is the founder and primary editor for sources. He is assisted by a collective of volunteers and paid contractors who provide research for many sources listed on these pages.
Finally, MBFC also provides occasional fact-checks and original articles on media bias and publishes daily curated fact-checks from around the world.
Click here to read MediaBiasFactCheck.com
6. CheckYourFact.com News Fact-Checking Website
Our job is to independently fact check statements by influencers, as well as reporting by other news outlets. We also vet the many widely-shared claims that rocket across the internet every day.
We additionally welcome our readers to send us claims to fact check. If you believe a story or statement deserves a fact check, or an error has been made with a published fact check, please contact our editor at [email protected]…
Our mission is a non-partisan one. We’re loyal to neither people nor parties – only the truth. And while the fact-checking industry continues to grow, there are still countless assertions that go unchecked. We exist to fill in the gaps.
We commit to being fully transparent with how we conduct our fact checks. Whenever possible, any reader should be able to retrace the steps we took in establishing the truth.
Check Your Fact is a for-profit subsidiary wholly owned by The Daily Caller, Inc. The majority owner of The Daily Caller, Inc. is co-founder and publisher Neil Patel.
Click here to read CheckYourFact.com
7. Poynter.org News Fact-Checking Website
We believe truth and transparency can help people be better informed and equipped to navigate harmful misinformation.
Click here to read Poynter.org
8. The New York Times Fact Checks
The latest fact checks of politicians and public figures. We welcome suggestions and tips from readers on what to fact-check on email and Twitter.
Click here to read The New York Times Fact Checks
9. The Washington Post Fact Checker
The Fact Checker first started on Sept. 19, 2007, as a feature during the 2008 presidential campaign. The Washington Post revived it as a permanent feature on Jan. 11, 2011. Since then, Glenn Kessler has been the editor and chief writer of The Fact Checker, which is part of the news section of The Washington Post.
Click here to read The Washington Post Fact Checker
10. USA Today Fact Checks
Find the latest fact checks on politics, candidates, issues and more from the team at USA TODAY.
Click here to read USA Today Fact Checks
Complement this list of 10 best news fact-checking websites with 10 best news aggregator websites, 10 best news satire websites in the USA, 3 best journalism books for beginners, 4 principles of ethical journalism, and then learn what is journalism for.
Editor’s note: this is a developing article and it will be updated over time. Do you know of any other news fact-checking Website in the USA that should be added to this list? Send us a tip through our contact page.
I’m a freelance writer with 6 years of experience in SEO blogging and article publishing. While you’re here, get the latest updates by subscribing to my newsletter.
