Snopes

Viral rumor referee

Snopes is a fact-checking website that investigates rumors, urban legends, and viral claims.

Founded in the 1990s, it became the go-to reference for debunking internet hoaxes and misinformation: I checked Snopes and that story about the celebrity death is fake.

The name has become shorthand for fact-checking itself: Just Snopes it before you share.

factchecking

verification

Proving something accurate

debunkingProving claims false
researchSystematic fact-finding effort
investigationFormal examination of facts

evidence · accuracy · truth · validation · credibility · confirmation · corroboration · sourcing · documentation · scrutiny

misinformation

hoax

Deliberate deception for effect

rumorUnconfirmed circulating story
mythTraditional explanatory tale
falsehoodDeliberate untrue statement

disinformation · fabrication · misinformation · hearsay · gossip · scuttlebutt · unverified · allegation · speculation · pseudoscience

ratings

true

Accurate or loyal

falseNot matching reality
mixtureCombined but unbonded substances
unprovenNot yet established

outdated · miscaptioned · legend · legend · scam

website

database

Organized digital information collection

archiveStored historical records
referenceDirecting attention elsewhere
articlesWritten works or items

search · citation · source · internet · digital · media · publication · editorial

Snopes

verification

hoax

true

database

Snopes

Opposites

Categories