What factcheck.org does

FactCheck.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit fact-checking organization founded in 2003 and operated as a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, headquartered in Philadelphia. It monitors and debunks false and misleading claims made by U.S. politicians, public officials, and other public figures, and serves general voters as its primary audience, with secondary audiences of journalists/media and educators/students. Content is distributed free of charge through its website, a multi-platform social media presence, an email newsletter, RSS, and earned-media partnerships including CNN.

The product portfolio is built on a conventional web-based content management system and includes the core FactCheck.org site plus specialized sub-products: SciCheck (science-based claims such as vaccines and climate change), En Español (Spanish-language content), and a topical Project 2025 series. Interactive features include Ask FactCheck and Ask SciCheck reader-submitted Q&A, Viral Spiral for tracking internet rumors, the FactCheck Mailbag for reader correspondence, and NewsFeed Defenders, a media literacy game available on web and mobile. There is no documented API, SDK, third-party integration, or AI/ML capability; the technical footprint is essentially a publishing platform plus one gamified educational tool.

The business model is institutional sponsorship rather than commercial revenue. FactCheck.org does not charge users, sell advertising, or operate enterprise contracts; it is funded through the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania and, by implication, the Annenberg Foundation. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The organization is led by director Kathleen Hall Jamieson (also director of APPC), with Brooks Jackson serving as director emeritus. It has been recognized with the 2026 National Headliner Award for online beat reporting and the 2026 AAPOR Policy Impact Award, and has established strategic relationships with CNN and Facebook as part of its distribution and ecosystem footprint.

Name

factcheck.org

Legal name

FactCheck.org

Website

https://factcheck.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Institutional Sponsorship: Funded by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The website is free to all users.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

FactCheck.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit fact-checking website that monitors the factual accuracy of statements made by politicians, government officials, and other public figures in U.S. public discourse. It publishes original fact-check articles, Q&A responses via Ask FactCheck and Ask SciCheck, science-focused content through SciCheck, Spanish-language coverage via En Español, and an educational media literacy game called NewsFeed Defenders. The service is offered free of charge to all users.

Product overview

FactCheck.org is a single unified fact-checking website operated as a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. The organization monitors and debunks false and misleading claims made by politicians and public figures. Its portfolio includes the core FactCheck.org platform along with specialized sub-products: SciCheck for science-related claims, En Español for Spanish-language content, and Project 2025 Series for policy-specific coverage. Interactive features include Ask FactCheck and Ask SciCheck (Q&A submissions), Viral Spiral (viral rumor tracking), and FactCheck Mailbag (reader correspondence). The organization also produces NewsFeed Defenders, an educational media literacy game available as a mobile app.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FactCheck.org A fact-checking website that monitors the factual accuracy of statements made by politicians, government officials, and other public figures. Operates as a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania and is free to all users.
• SciCheck A dedicated section that fact-checks science-based claims, including topics related to vaccines, climate change, and other scientific controversies, intended for the general public and journalists.
• Ask FactCheck A Q&A feature where users can submit questions about factual claims for the organization to investigate and verify. Open to the general public.
• Ask SciCheck A science-focused Q&A feature allowing users to submit scientific claims for verification by the SciCheck team.
• NewsFeed Defenders A media literacy game that teaches players how to detect and disregard disinformation and misinformation in digital environments. Available as a mobile app and web-based game for educators, students, and general audiences.
• Viral Spiral A resource that tracks and debunks viral rumors and internet hoaxes circulating online, intended for news consumers.
• En Español Spanish-language version of fact-checking content for Spanish-speaking audiences in the United States and globally.
• Project 2025 Series A special series of articles fact-checking claims related to Project 2025 policy proposals, aimed at voters and policy observers.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of PennsylvaniacoreOthersFactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, which provides institutional sponsorship and support. The APPC hosts the organization and provides funding, staff, and resources.
• CNNmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFact-checking collaboration with CNN, including video content and the 'State of the Union with Jake Tapper' series. FactCheck.org staff appear on CNN programming and produce video content for the network.
• FacebookmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to expose viral fake news shared on the social media network. Provides fact-checking services for content flagged on the platform.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Media Bias/Fact Check: Website that rates the bias and credibility of media outlets. Comparable as a third-party civic-information resource serving voters seeking to evaluate news sources.
• AP Fact Check: Associated Press's fact-checking vertical covering political, social, and viral misinformation claims. Directly comparable as a wire-service-driven fact-checking operation distributing through partner outlets.
• PolitiFact: Pulitzer Prize-winning political fact-checking organization also focused on U.S. political claims. Directly comparable in mission (fact-checking politicians and public figures), target audience (general public/voters), and product (rated fact-checks on viral political claims).
• The Washington Post Fact Checker: Fact-checking column within The Washington Post that rates false or misleading claims by politicians. Directly comparable in subject matter (U.S. political claims) and rating methodology, though delivered as a newspaper column rather than standalone nonprofit.
• Ballotpedia: Nonpartisan digital encyclopedia covering U.S. elections, politicians, and policy. Comparable as a nonpartisan reference resource serving voters and journalists, with overlapping audience (informed voters, journalists, educators).
• AllSides: Media bias rating and balanced news aggregation service aimed at reducing polarization. Comparable as a nonpartisan civic-information platform with overlapping mission of helping voters navigate political information.
• Snopes: Pioneering internet fact-checking site that debunks viral rumors, hoaxes, and misinformation. Directly comparable in audience (general public), product (rated fact-checks and rumor tracking), and history (founded 1994, one of the original web-based fact-checkers).
• Reuters Fact Check: Fact-checking unit of Reuters that verifies claims in news, social media, and political discourse globally. Directly comparable in editorial methodology and wire-distribution model.

Others

• Poynter Institute: Journalism education and research organization that runs PolitiFact and the IFCN. Comparable as a journalism-support institution whose fact-checking initiatives compete for the same donor and audience pool.
• International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN): Industry network housed at the Poynter Institute that sets fact-checking standards and accredits organizations including FactCheck.org. Comparable as the umbrella accreditation body in the same ecosystem rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/factcheckdotorg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/factcheckdotorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/factcheck
• Instagraminstagram.com/factcheckorg
• TikToktiktok.com/@factcheckorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about factcheck.org