PolitiFact is a nonprofit fact‑checking initiative run by the Poynter Institute that evaluates political statements and assigns them a rating on its Truth‑O‑Meter, from “True” to “Pants on Fire.”
Journalists, researchers, and the general public turn to PolitiFact when they need to verify political claims while reading news stories or political commentary.
External context
If you are producing your own content, you can reference PolitiFact’s ratings to back up or challenge the accuracy of statements you cite. Its process involves selecting original remarks from politicians, candidates, lobbyists, and related actors, then publishing a clear rating that indicates how truthful the claim is. Using these ratings helps readers quickly gauge credibility, but remember the scale spans from fully accurate to wildly inaccurate, so choose the appropriate citation level for your audience.
PolitiFact Wikipedia contributors, “PolitiFact”, en.wikipedia.orgLicence01What it is and how it works
PolitiFact runs a team of journalists and researchers who collect statements from public officials, campaign ads, and news interviews. They compare each claim to publicly available data—court records, official statistics, and expert testimony. After the investigation, the claim receives a rating on a six‑point scale: True, Mostly True, Half True, Mostly False, False, and Pants on Fire. The rating appears on the PolitiFact website and is often syndicated by news outlets.
PolitiFact checks what politicians say and gives each claim a simple truth rating.
02What to do about it
If you see a political claim in your brand’s content, follow these steps this week: 1. Search the claim on PolitiFact’s site using exact wording. 2. If a rating exists, note the rating and link it in your internal fact‑check log. 3. If no rating exists, add the claim to a shared spreadsheet and flag it for deeper research. 4. Adjust any brand messaging that repeats a false or misleading claim before it goes live. 5. Document the change and share the updated copy with your compliance team.
03How it is measured or noticed
Our AI search product flags PolitiFact references by looking for the brand name together with the phrase "PolitiFact" or the rating terms (e.g., "Pants on Fire"). The system also scans the URL pattern https://www.politifact.com/ and extracts the rating label from the page’s meta tags. When a rating is detected, the brand’s trust score is adjusted according to the severity of the rating.
How the record puts it
PolitiFact.com is an American nonprofit project operated by the Poynter Institute in St.
04Common mistakes
- Assuming a PolitiFact rating automatically applies to all similar statements.
- Citing the rating without linking back to the original PolitiFact article.
- Changing a claim’s wording to avoid detection while keeping the same false implication.
05Limits
PolitiFact focuses on U.S. political statements; it does not rate corporate advertising claims, international policies, or personal opinions. The rating does not reflect legal liability, only journalistic judgment. Confusing PolitiFact’s rating with a legal verdict is a common error.
06Worked example
"The senator claimed the new tax cut would eliminate the national deficit. PolitiFact rated the claim ‘False’ because the deficit is projected to rise by $200 billion in the first year."
In this scenario, a brand that quoted the senator should replace the claim with the PolitiFact rating or remove it entirely.
The entry above is written by GetLoopLoop. What follows is what independent catalogues hold about the same term — none of it is the source of this page.
- Also called
- PolitiFact.com
- Introduced
- 2007
- Kind of thing
- website, organization, fact-checking organisation
The same term on Wikipedia
Catalogued in 12 languages07Frequently asked questions
How is PolitiFact different from other fact‑checking sites like Snopes?
Usually PolitiFact focuses on political statements and uses a specific rating scale from True to Pants on Fire, while Snopes covers a broader range of rumors and urban legends. The methodology and editorial team also differ, which can affect how claims are evaluated.
Should we respond publicly when our brand is mentioned in a PolitiFact rating?
It depends on the rating and the visibility of the claim; a negative rating often warrants a public response to correct misinformation, whereas a neutral or positive rating may not require action. Evaluate the potential impact on brand reputation before deciding.
How does PolitiFact assign its rating scale from True to Pants on Fire?
PolitiFact’s journalists and researchers review the evidence behind a claim and then place it on a six‑point scale, with “True” indicating full verification and “Pants on Fire” indicating a blatant falsehood. The rating is based on the weight and credibility of the supporting sources.
Does a PolitiFact rating guarantee that a claim is legally safe for us to repeat?
No, a PolitiFact rating reflects journalistic assessment, not legal liability. You should still consult legal counsel before using any claim, especially in advertising or official communications.
What are the risks if we ignore a negative PolitiFact rating for our brand?
Usually ignoring a negative rating can let misinformation spread, damaging trust and potentially leading to consumer backlash. You may notice increased negative sentiment in social listening tools and a drop in brand sentiment scores.
How soon after a claim is made does PolitiFact publish a rating, and when will our AI product flag it?
PolitiFact typically publishes a rating within a few days to a week after a claim gains enough attention. Our AI search product flags the reference as soon as the rating appears online, often within minutes of the article going live.
Wikimedia Commons
Related visuals with source and licence credit
08Asked out loud
The same term in the words somebody uses speaking to an assistant rather than typing into a box — written from the situation, which is why each one carries the situation it came from.
Yes, you can check the latest PolitiFact rating by searching the claim; our AI tool will show if it’s flagged as True, Mostly True, or another rating. The result appears instantly in the dashboard.
Usually you should verify any claim that appears in PolitiFact; if it has a negative rating, adjust the wording or add a disclaimer before the release goes out. Skipping verification can lead to reputational issues if the claim is later debunked.
No, you don’t need the app; just open the link in a browser and look for the rating badge, or let our AI dashboard pull the rating for you. The dashboard will display the rating within seconds.