Fact Checking Links
-
FactCheck.orgA product of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, this site is terrific for checking up on political claims.
-
Snopes.comOne of the oldest debunking sites on the Internet, Snopes.com focuses on urban legends, news stories and memes. the also cite their sources at the end of each debunking.
-
PolitifactThe Pulitzer Prize-winning Politifact researches the claims of politicians and checks their accuracy.
-
SourceWatch.org"SourceWatch profiles the activities of front groups, PR spinners, industry-friendly experts, industry-funded organizations, and think tanks trying to manipulate public opinion on behalf of corporations or government. "
-
Tin EyeCheck images to see if they have been altered or misidentified to fit a piece of fake news.
-
The Washington Post Fact-CheckerWhile focused primarily on political facts, it covers specific claims in-depth and with plenty of cross-referencing.
Other Resources
-
The Poynter InstituteThe Poynter Institute develops resources for journalists and writers, plus offers resources on fact checking and media literacy for the general public.
-
AllSidesAllSides is a website that rates the bias of news stories and other articles, labeling them according to where they fit on a political spectrum from left to center to right.
-
Media Manipulation Initiative"The Media Manipulation Initiative (MMI) examines how different groups use the participatory culture of the internet to turn the strengths of a free society into vulnerabilities, ultimately threatening expressive freedoms and civil rights." A good source for research reports on this topic.
Types of Fake News
There are four broad categories of fake news, according to media professor Melissa Zimdars of Merrimack College.
CATEGORY 1: Fake, false, or regularly misleading websites that are shared on social media. Some of these websites may rely on “outrage” by using distorted headlines and decontextualized or dubious information in order to generate likes, shares, and profits.
CATEGORY 2: Websites that may circulate misleading and/or potentially unreliable information
CATEGORY 3: Websites which sometimes use clickbait-y headlines and social media descriptions
CATEGORY 4: Satire/comedy sites, which can offer important critical commentary on politics and society, but have the potential to be shared as actual/literal news
No single topic falls under a single category - for example, false or misleading medical news may be entirely fabricated (Category 1), may intentionally misinterpret facts or misrepresent data (Category 2), may be accurate or partially accurate but use an alarmist title to get your attention (Category 3) or may be a critique on modern medical practice (Category 4.) Some articles fall under more than one category. Assessing the quality of the content is crucial to understanding whether what you are viewing is true or not. It is up to you to do the legwork to make sure your information is good.