# Do people honestly believe Snopes is biased? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 4, 2016, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654 "2016-10-04T20:19:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/1 "2016-10-04T20:19:30Z")
On another board, I quoted Snopes, and someone responded: FYI…Snopes is a notoriously-biased site when it comes to certain political figures/issues. Do you have a more ‘neutral’ source that I could consult? Seriously? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/2 "2016-10-04T20:22:16Z")
People generally find fault with any source that doesn’t agree with their preconceived notions. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/3 "2016-10-04T20:26:15Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > People generally find fault with any source that doesn’t agree with their preconceived notions. I occasionally find fault with their “Mostly True” or “Mostly False” ratings, but I can read the references. This person refused to do even that, damning the source. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/4 "2016-10-04T20:30:21Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > On another board, I quoted Snopes, and someone responded: > > FYI…Snopes is a notoriously-biased site when it comes to certain political figures/issues. > Do you have a more ‘neutral’ source that I could consult? > > Seriously? Glad to see a challenge to Snopes, not sure either way but really would like to know if it can remain a trusted source. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/5 "2016-10-04T20:34:13Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Glad to see a challenge to Snopes, not sure either way but really would like to know if it can remain a trusted source. The husband is a registered independent, and the wife is Canadian. And they provide sources for all of their claims. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/6 "2016-10-04T20:35:43Z")
I do think Snopes has a little bit of bias, but it’s mild, and I do believe they make a genuine attempt to be objective and factual. What bothers me is that sometimes Snopes will erect a straw man or knock it down. Or, sometimes Snopes will airily, lazily dismiss something in a bit of an “aw, shucks” way, laden with generalizations and assumptions. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/7 "2016-10-04T20:35:53Z")
> [@](#): > > Do people honestly believe Snopes is biased? If it keeps them from having to confront other things that they’d rather not think about, then yes they do. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/8 "2016-10-04T20:46:08Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > I occasionally find fault with their “Mostly True” or “Mostly False” ratings, but I can read the references. This person refused to do even that, damning the source. People do that all the time here. If I tried to use Fox news or many other sites that are perceived to have a conservative bias people on this site would dismiss it without bothering to look further. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/9 "2016-10-04T21:21:57Z")
Fox News is really in a category unto itself. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/10 "2016-10-04T21:25:48Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > On another board, I quoted Snopes, and someone responded: > > FYI…Snopes is a notoriously-biased site when it comes to certain political figures/issues. > Do you have a more ‘neutral’ source that I could consult? > > Seriously? Seriously. As long as they stick to urban legends, they are okay. But there have been some incidents lately where they absolutely carry water for Hillary and her ilk. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/11 "2016-10-04T21:28:14Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Seriously. As long as they stick to urban legends, they are okay. But there have been some incidents lately where they absolutely carry water for Hillary and her ilk. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/12 "2016-10-04T21:30:37Z")
“Anyone who doesn’t agree with me is biased. And everything on the internet is wrong.” - Abraham Lincoln. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/13 "2016-10-04T21:35:43Z")
Has Snopes ever done an article on themselves? Because until they do I’m going to remain skeptical of them. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/14 "2016-10-04T22:15:57Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Seriously. As long as they stick to urban legends, they are okay. But there have been some incidents lately where they absolutely carry water for Hillary and her ilk. Proof? ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/15 "2016-10-04T22:20:55Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > On another board, I quoted Snopes, and someone responded: > > FYI…Snopes is a notoriously-biased site when it comes to certain political figures/issues. > Do you have a more ‘neutral’ source that I could consult? > > Seriously? From the responses in this thread, it looks like they do. A wiser person than me said facts often have a liberal bias. Has Snopes ever done an article on themselves? That is precious; their whole background is online and anyone can ‘do an article on them’ any time they like. Surely Faux News or Drudge or one of the other entertainment sites have done so and not found anything they could use to undermine Snopes, or they would have bought an unblockable banner ad to play from now until 2120 blasting them. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/16 "2016-10-04T22:51:11Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I do think Snopes has a little bit of bias… Towards what? The truth? ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/17 "2016-10-04T23:13:13Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Proof? When the ratings went from “slightly false”, “mostly false”, and “completely false” to “slightly false”, “mostly false”, and “totally trump”. It was a subtle change that most people overlooked. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/18 "2016-10-04T23:33:46Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > When the ratings went from “slightly false”, “mostly false”, and “completely false” to “slightly false”, “mostly false”, and “totally trump”. It was a subtle change that most people overlooked. Don’t do that; you know some people are gullible enough to believe anything that makes them feel persecuted. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SantaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@SantaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/19 "2016-10-05T00:08:14Z")
Did you know that gullible is not in the dictionary? Look it up. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654/20 "2016-10-05T01:00:02Z")
People have tried to argue Snopes is biased for a long time. They do wind up dealing with more Republican/conservative conspiracies, but that seems to be because that side is more prone to creating them. Though Sanders supporters also started pushing them. Thing is, you don’t have to create that bullshit if you’re right in the first place. If anything, I think they give the conservative side too much credit. They break apart false claims and find some truth in them so they can say “Mostly False.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-honestly-believe-snopes-is-biased/767654.md?page=2)