Parents' Guide to

FactCheck.org

By Jacqueline Rupp, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Excellent, unbiased political site goes in deep.

Website http://www.factcheck.org
FactCheck.org Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this website.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 5 parent reviews

Aloscalzo
Aloscalzo Adult
September 21, 2019
age 13+

Just The Facts

After doing some research after reading the adult negative reviews of FactCheck.org, I find the site to be fair and merely stating the facts, finding discrepancies or exaggerations of politicians on both sides of the aisle. I understand the fear of the site leaning towards who's buttering their bread but, I don't see that bias here. I suggest others who are curious about the Annenberg Foundation's donations to FactCheck.org check out, https://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/about/ and https://annenberg.org/ I did find one group that thinks FactCheck.org is a bias towards liberals, https://capitalresearch.org/ But, they identify themselves as an "American conservative and American libertarian non-profit organization and watchdog group located in Washington, D.C.[2][3] It was founded in 1984 by Willa Johnson "to study non-profit organizations, with a special focus on reviving the American traditions of charity, philanthropy, and voluntarism." According to the organization, the group supports "free markets, constitutional government, and individual liberty."[4] It discourages donations by corporations to non-profits supporting what it sees as anti-business or left-wing policies.[5] It monitors the giving of major left-wing donors in the U.S.[3]" Clearly identifying with a political agenda. I've concluded that I trust FactCheck.org to give me and my family just that, fact check. It will help us decide who we will vote for and who's telling the truth, that's hard to find.
1 person found this helpful.
devsam
devsam Adult
August 12, 2009
age 13+

Should be Required Reading!

Fact Check is a wonderful source for finding the facts related to various rumors and distortions, particularly political information.

This title has:

Educational value
1 person found this helpful.
See all 5 parent reviews

What’s It About?

During election season, TV programs become awash in political advertising. With emotionally-charged music and images and dramatic voiceovers, these ads can be quite compelling. That is until you look at the facts behind the melodrama. But sorting through news reports, candidate Web sites, and editorials can be a lengthy process. That's where FACTCHECK.ORG comes in handy. This 2008 Webby Award-winning site provides daily analysis of U.S. political players, monitoring factual accuracy of what's said on TV and in debates, speeches, and interviews through detailed articles that provide both a summary and lengthy study of a specific subject. FactCheckEd, the educational section, interprets political lingo and catch phrases, and has a dictionary and a resource which helps kids sift through other sites by identifying them as partisan, public, or general.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5):
Kids say (2):

Like a breath of fresh air, FactCheck.org cuts through the political mudslinging and propaganda to provide real, factual information about the abstract claims made by political candidates. Just the Facts is a CNN-esque video report that dissects timely topics such as the creative video editing of campaign ads. With young correspondents and a clean look, the videocasts judiciously use news clips and commentary, making the videos easy to watch and understand. This is probably the department most accessible to kids.

Ask FactCheck is also a clever timely feature and allows visitors to ask the site's staff questions about the political campaign. As far as Web designs go, FactCheck is nicely organized and easy to navigate. It doesn't overwhelm the user with too many features, but instead presents deliberately detailed analysis that's hard to find these days.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why a site like this is needed. Why is it better to go to a nonpartisan site for reliable information? Why do you think FactCheck.org doesn't run ads or accept funding from political parties or businesses? Families can try watching a political ad on TV and conduct their own analysis. What images were used in the ad? How did they make you feel? What music was played? What claims did the ad make about the candidate? Are they specific or general?

Website Details

  • Genre: Educational
  • Pricing structure: Free
  • Last updated: November 4, 2015

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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