Identify & Challenge Disinformation (aka Fake News): Fact Checking & Background Information
Unsure about Something? Use a Fact Checker
- FactCheck.orgA 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.
- PolitifactPolitiFact is a fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others who speak up in American politics. PolitiFact is a Pulitzer Prize winning project, run by editors and reporters from the Tampa Bay Times, an independent newspaper in Florida.
- Poynter Fact CheckingA project of the Poynter Institute, which is dedicated to improving journalism and educating journalists worldwide.
- SnopesReference source for political and other news stories, urban legends, rumors, and misinformation.
Tutorial on Lateral Reading
How to Fact Check History
Summary Reports on Current Issues
- CQ Researcher
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Offers reports on key issues in the U.S.Congress from 1923 to the present. Includes a searchable archive by keyword, date, or subject, written by experienced journalists, footnoted and professionally fact-checked. Full-length articles include an overview, historical background, chronology, pro/con feature, plus resources for additional research. - Gale in Context: Opposing ViewpointsMaintains controversial contemporary topic summaries and overviews of current issues that include aspects of the issues along with pro and con arguments and opinions.
Verify Webpage History
- Wayback MachineWeb archive that captures websites over time and can be used to verify content history and edits.