Fact Checking - League of Women Voters

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Fact-Checking . . . . . . . . . . . .

Do you need help determining what is fact and what is fiction?

Here are some reliable sources that sift through the hype and fabrications:

● Media Bias Fact Check (MBFC)

The most comprehensive media bias resource on the internet. There are currently 7500+ media sources, journalists, and politicians listed in their database. Sources rated very high or high on factual reporting have proper sourcing and a clean fact-check record. mediabiasfactcheck.com

● The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN)

To be deemed compliant with IFCN principles, an organization must exhibit a commitment to nonpartisanship and fairness, transparency of sources, transparency of funding and organization, transparency of methodology, and a commitment to open and honest corrections. Some of the verified signatories of the IFCN:

AP Fact Check focuses on fact-checking political claims and publishes “Not Real News: A Look at What Didn’t Happen This Week.” MBFC rates The Associated Press as at the border of least-biased and left-biased but very high on factual accuracy. apnews.com/ap-fact-check

FactCheck.org monitors the factual accuracy of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. MBFC rates it as dead-center, least biased, and very high on factual reporting. FactCheck.org

PolitiFact.org is among the least biased IFCN sites. It leans slightly left of center and ranks high on factual reporting of the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others who speak up in American politics. PolitiFact.org

Science Feedback reviews climate-related and health and medical claims. Their fact-checkers are PhDs with recently published articles in top-tier peer-reviewed science journals, making this the best fact-checker for science-related claims. science.feedback.org

Other Media Literacy Resources

SciCheck.org - https://www.factcheck.org/scicheck/

A nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce deception and confusion in U.S. politics. FactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. FactCheck.org’s SciCheck feature focuses exclusively on false and misleading scientific claims that are made by partisans to influence public policy.

Ballotpedia - https://ballotpedia.org

This is a nonprofit and nonpartisan encyclopedia of American politics and elections. It is designed to connect people to politics utilizing a neutral point-of-view philosophy. MBFC rates it as dead-center, least biased, and very high on factual reporting.

Michigan Department of State - Fact Checking

https://www.michigan.gov/sos/faqs/elections-and-campaign-finance/fact-checks

This is a State of Michigan-based website formed to provide Michiganders with accurate and truthful election information.

Media Wise Teen Fact-Checking Network (TFCN) www.poynter.org/news/tfcn/

Publishes fact-checks for teenagers, by teenagers. Learn from amazing kids!

Bad News - www.getbadnews.com

An online game intended to build user understanding of the techniques involved in the dissemination of disinformation by exposing players to fake news tactics.

News Literacy Project - newslit.org/

The News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan education nonprofit, is building a national movement to advance the practice of news literacy throughout American society, creating better informed, more engaged, and more empowered individuals — and ultimately a stronger democracy.

Allsides – https://www.allsides.com

Allsides is a tool that gives the user points of view from the Right, Center, and Left. They have rated media sources to let you know from which point of view they report.

PBS – A Citizen’s Guide to Preserving Democracy - Video

A video based on Richard Haass’ best-selling book "The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens." Hari Sreenivasan and Dr. Haass explore how Americans are working towards strengthening democracy and renewing engaged citizenry.

https://www.pbs.org/show/a-citizens-guide-to-preserving-democracy/

This information is available to download in pdf format at this link: LWVGTA Misinformation Brochure