Fact Check Ratings

Every fact check on Snopes.com is rated in order to help readers quickly ascertain the credibility of a claim. Readers often ask why we don't just use "true" or "false." Sometimes distilling the veracity of a nuanced topic or event into a one-word assessment can be challenging, misleading even. That’s why we draw from a broader spectrum of ratings. We always strive to be precise, accurate, and fair. It’s important to note the “Claim” statement clearly labeled on each fact check. The specific wording of that claim is what the rating evaluates. Here’s a comprehensive list of the ratings we use and their definitions:

Research In Progress This rating is used with pages that present items which we are currently investigating but have not yet reached any publishable conclusion about.

True This rating indicates that the primary elements of a claim are demonstrably true.

Mostly True This rating indicates that the primary elements of a claim are demonstrably true, but some of the ancillary details surrounding the claim may be inaccurate.

Mixture This rating indicates that a claim has significant elements of both truth and falsity to it such that it could not fairly be described by any other rating.

Mostly False This rating indicates that the primary elements of a claim are demonstrably false, but some of the ancillary details surrounding the claim may be accurate.

False This rating indicates that the primary elements of a claim are demonstrably false.

Unproven This rating applies to a claim for which we have examined the available evidence but could not arrive at a true or false determination, meaning the evidence is inconclusive or self-contradictory.

Unfounded This rating applies to a claim that we have investigated but found no demonstrable evidence to support it. Such claims typically originate as hearsay, speculation, or groundless rumor.

Outdated This rating applies to items for which subsequent events have rendered their original truth rating irrelevant (e.g., a condition that was the subject of protest has been rectified, or the passage of a controversial law has since been repealed).

Miscaptioned This rating is used with photographs and videos that are “real” (i.e., not the product, partially or wholly, of digital manipulation) but are nonetheless misleading because they are accompanied by explanatory material that falsely describes their origin, context, and/or meaning.

Correct Attribution This rating indicates that quoted material (speech or text) has been correctly attributed to the person who spoke or wrote it. 

Misattributed This rating indicates that quoted material (speech or text) has been incorrectly attributed to a person who didn't speak or write it.

Legend This rating is most commonly associated with items that describe events so general or lacking in detail that they could have happened to someone, somewhere, at some time, and are therefore essentially unprovable.

Scam This “rating” is not a truth rating but rather indicates pages that describe the details of verified scams.

Legit This rating describes authentic, legitimate offers or initiatives available to consumers or members of the public.

Labeled Satire This rating indicates that a claim is derived from content described by its creator and/or the wider audience as satire. Not all content described by its creator or audience as ‘satire’ necessarily constitutes satire, and this rating does not make a distinction between 'real' satire and content that may not be effectively recognized or understood as satire despite being labeled as such.

Originated as Satire This rating refers to content that originally came from a site described as satire, but was later stripped of some of its satirical markings, repackaged, and posted elsewhere. The rating also applies to content not necessarily labeled as satire but that audiences perceived as satirical nonetheless, such as content from The Onion.

Recall This rating is applied to genuine product recall notices.

Lost Legend These legends aren’t really lost — we’ve known where they were the whole time! We created The Repository of Lost Legends (TRoLL for short) for those of you who don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story. If you have a taste for the unusual and arcane (and can suspend your disbelief just a little), sample some of these precious gems.

Fake This rating applies to photographs and videos that were either manipulated via digital editing, or manufactured from scratch via CGI (computer-generated imagery) or AI (artificial intelligence) software, such that they convey a false or misleading message or an outright misrepresentation of reality.