View the most recent version of the AllSides Fact Check Bias Chart™ here.

After reviewing the political bias of numerous fact-checkers, the latest version of the AllSides Fact Check Bias Chart™ features multiple changes and new additions.

Here’s what’s new in Version 2:

Well-known fact check websites like Snopes and Politifact reveal media bias in numerous ways. Sometimes fact checkers will draw conclusions about the meaning of facts, which is subjective. Or they’ll be selective about what facts they choose to include or ignore, showing a slant. Perhaps most commonly, they also show bias by story choice — for example, only fact checking the left and not the right, or vice versa. 

AllSides rates the political bias of fact checkers to make media bias transparent and help you to know more and think for yourself.
 

Lead Stories Moved to Lean Left Bias After Community Feedback Sparked Independent Review

We moved Lead Stories (Lean Left bias) from Center to Lean Left.

After noticing that the vast majority of over 700 AllSides readers who had voted on Lead Stories' rating disagreed with its Center rating, AllSides Editor-in-Chief Henry A. Brechter (Center bias) conducted an independent review in April 2023. This is our lowest level of bias analysis — read about all our methods here.

Community feedback votes don't directly influence our media bias ratings, but if we notice a large imbalance in votes, such as in this case, it can trigger another bias review..

Our independent review found Lead Stories tends to primarily fact check stories in ways that appeal to a left-leaning audience, including many claims about Dr. Anthony Fauci, the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, sustainability, and climate change. Meanwhile, it does not fact check stories that appeal to a right-leaning audience in a similar way. This represents media bias by story choice and placement.

Lead Stories also features a "Red Feed" and a "Blue Feed," which purport to feature only "fact checks about misinformation, lies or falsehoods being spread about left-wing, progressive, liberal, Democrat or anti-Trump people, causes, groups or issues" and "fact checks about misinformation, lies or falsehoods being spread about right-wing, conservative, Christian, Republican or pro-Trump people, causes, groups or issues," respectively. 

As of April 16, 2023, 10 fact-checks had been posted in the Red Feed since Jan. 1, compared to 72 fact-checks published in the Blue Feed over the same period.
 

Washington Examiner Added as Lean Right

We added the Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) in the Lean Right column of the Fact Check Bias Chart. 

The Examiner doesn't have a fact-checking section of its website, but sometimes posts articles labeled as “fact checks.” 
 

Free Beacon, The Daily Signal and Townhall Added as Right

Like the Washington Examiner, The Daily Signal (Right) and Townhall (Right bias) don’t have dedicated fact-checking sections, but sometimes post articles labeled as “fact checks.” These articles tend to correspond with the outlets’ overall media bias rating.

The Washington Free Beacon (Right bias) has a section of its website, Free Beacon Fact Check, which we also gave a Right bias rating.
 

Newsweek Added as Center

Similar to the Free Beacon, Newsweek (Center bias) has a separate Newsweek Fact Check (also Center bias) section of its website. Newsweek tends to fact-check a variety of claims that speak to audiences across the political spectrum, rather than focusing on one political party or a select handful of topics.
 

Spot Media Bias and Think for Yourself

The AllSides Fact Check Bias Chart is a companion to the AllSides Media Bias Chart™. By making the political leanings of media outlets and fact checkers transparent, we help you to easily identify different perspectives, know more, and think for yourself. You can vote on any of our ratings.

Support media bias transparency! Become an AllSides Sustaining Member to get exclusive weekly media bias analysis and to help fund our media bias research. 

Media Bias, Facts And Fact Checking