Snopes

Snopes.com is a website for validating or debunking urban legends, internet rumors, and other stories of unknown or questionable origin.

Extract taken from Wikipedia: Snopes aims to debunk or confirm widely spread urban legends. The site has been referenced by news media and other sites, including CNN,[11] FOX news,[12] MSNBC[13] and Australia's ABC on its 'Media Watch' program. Snopes's popular standing is such that some chain e-mail hoaxes claim to have been 'checked out on 'Snopes.com'' in an attempt to discourage readers from seeking verification.[14] As of March 2009, the site had around 6.2 million visitors per month.[15] The Mikkelsons have stressed the reference portion of the name Urban Legends Reference Pages, indicating that their intention is not merely to dismiss or confirm misconceptions and rumors but to provide evidence for such debunkings and confirmations as well.[16] Where appropriate, pages are generally marked 'undetermined' or 'unverifiable' if the Mikkelsons feel there is not enough evidence to either support or disprove a given claim.[17] The Mikkelsons say many of the urban legends are mistakenly attributed because of common problems associated with e-mail signatures.[18] Snopes has received praise from folklorist Jan Harold Brunvand, who considers the site so comprehensive as to obviate the necessity for launching one of his own.[10] In 2007, the Snopes site featured pop-up ads for the controversial Zango adware product.[22][23] Snopes stopped serving the ads in January 2008, after criticism from tech sites, security experts and users.[24] Snopes receives complaints of both liberal and conservative bias, but insists that it applies the same debunking standards to all political stories. FactCheck reviewed a sample of Snopes' responses to political rumors regarding George W. Bush, Sarah Palin and Barack Obama, and found them to be free from bias in all cases. FactCheck noted that Barbara Mikkelson was a Canadian citizen (and thus unable to vote in American elections) and David Mikkelson was an independent who was once a registered Republican. 'Youâ€d be hard-pressed to find two more apolitical people,' David Mikkelson told them.[25][26] [11] Beth Nissen (2001-10-03). 'CNN.com - Hear the rumor? Nostradamus and other tall tales'. Archives.cnn.com. Retrieved 2009-06-07. [12] 'Teens Abusing Energy-Boosting Drinks, Doctors Fear - Health News Current Health News Medical News'. FOXNews.com. 2006-10-31. Retrieved 2009-06-07. [13] 'Urban Legends Banned-April Fools'!'. MSNBC. 2007-04-01. Retrieved 2009-06-07. [14] 'Urban Legends Reference Pages: Who Is Barack Obama?'. Retrieved 22 January 2008. [15] Reader's Digest: 'Rumor Detectives: True Story or Online Hoax?'. Retrieved 10 March 2009. [16] 'Urban Legends Reference Pages: (Frequently Asked Questions)'. (Re 'How do I know the information you've presented is accurate?'.) Retrieved June 9, 2006. [17] 'Round Rock Gangs'. Snopes. Retrieved 2009-05-03. [18] Six tips from Snopes.com on e-mails. Congress.org, Nov. 30, 2009. [19] 'Urban Legends Reference Page: Lost Legends'. Retrieved 9 June 2006. [20] 'Urban Legends Reference Page: Lost Legends (False Authority)'. Retrieved 9 June 2006. [21] 'Urban Legends Reference Pages: Humor (Mostly True Stories)'. Retrieved 20 June 2006. Extract taken from Wikipedia: Snopes aims to debunk or confirm widely spread urban legends. The site has been referenced by news media and other sites, including CNN,[11] FOX news,[12] MSNBC[13] and Australia's ABC on its 'Media Watch' program. Snopes's popular standing is such that some chain e-mail hoaxes claim to have been 'checked out on 'Snopes.com'' in an attempt to discourage readers from seeking verification.[14] As of March 2009, the site had around 6.2 million visitors per month.[15] The Mikkelsons have stressed the reference portion of the name Urban Legends Reference Pages, indicating that their intention is not merely to dismiss or confirm misconceptions and rumors but to provide evidence for such debunkings and confirmations as well.[16] Where appropriate, pages are generally marked 'undetermined' or 'unverifiable' if the Mikkelsons feel there is not enough evidence to either support or disprove a given claim.[17] The Mikkelsons say many of the urban legends are mistakenly attributed because of common problems associated with e-mail signatures.[18] Snopes has received praise from folklorist Jan Harold Brunvand, who considers the site so comprehensive as to obviate the necessity for launching one of his own.[10] In 2007, the Snopes site featured pop-up ads for the controversial Zango adware product.[22][23] Snopes stopped serving the ads in January 2008, after criticism from tech sites, security experts and users.[24] Snopes receives complaints of both liberal and conservative bias, but insists that it applies the same debunking standards to all political stories. FactCheck reviewed a sample of Snopes' responses to political rumors regarding George W. Bush, Sarah Palin and Barack Obama, and found them to be free from bias in all cases. FactCheck noted that Barbara Mikkelson was a Canadian citizen (and thus unable to vote in American elections) and David Mikkelson was an independent who was once a registered Republican. 'Youâ€d be hard-pressed to find two more apolitical people,' David Mikkelson told them.[25][26] [11] Beth Nissen (2001-10-03). 'CNN.com - Hear the rumor? Nostradamus and other tall tales'. Archives.cnn.com. Retrieved 2009-06-07. [12] 'Teens Abusing Energy-Boosting Drinks, Doctors Fear - Health News Current Health News Medical News'. FOXNews.com. 2006-10-31. Retrieved 2009-06-07. [13] 'Urban Legends Banned-April Fools'!'. MSNBC. 2007-04-01. Retrieved 2009-06-07. [14] 'Urban Legends Reference Pages: Who Is Barack Obama?'. Retrieved 22 January 2008. [15] Reader's Digest: 'Rumor Detectives: True Story or Online Hoax?'. Retrieved 10 March 2009. [16] 'Urban Legends Reference Pages: (Frequently Asked Questions)'. (Re 'How do I know the information you've presented is accurate?'.) Retrieved June 9, 2006. [17] 'Round Rock Gangs'. Snopes. Retrieved 2009-05-03. [18] Six tips from Snopes.com on e-mails. Congress.org, Nov. 30, 2009. [19] 'Urban Legends Reference Page: Lost Legends'. Retrieved 9 June 2006. [20] 'Urban Legends Reference Page: Lost Legends (False Authority)'. Retrieved 9 June 2006. [21] 'Urban Legends Reference Pages: Humor (Mostly True Stories)'. Retrieved 20 June 2006. [22] 'Not an urban legend: Snopes pushes Zango' - Sunbelt Blog, January 28, 2008 [23] 'Snopes peddling malware?' - TechSpot, January 28, 2008 [24] 'Snopes.com stops serving adware'. CIO. Retrieved 2009-03-03. [25] 'Snopes.com'. FactCheck. 2009-04-01. Retrieved 2009-06-07. [26] 'Fact-checking the fact-checkers: Snopes.com gets an 'A''. Network World. April 13, 2009.