Our Mission: Cutting Through the Fog
The British internet in 2026 is a messy place. Between WhatsApp forwards claiming garlic cures high blood pressure and TikTok “gurus” predicting petrol prices will double by Tuesday, the truth is often buried under a mountain of clickbait.
At Facts Check, we aren’t here to join the noise. Our job is to be the filter. Whether we’re investigating a viral health fad, a “miracle” financial hack, or a trending rumour about a public figure, we treat every claim with the same relentless scepticism.
We don’t believe in “both-sides-ism” when one side is demonstrably lying. We are here to provide the “Traffic Light” verdict that the UK public deserves. This policy is our contract with you, the reader, about how we find the truth and why you can trust our conclusions.
The Gold Standard of Accuracy
In the world of fact-checking, “nearly right” is the same as being wrong. If we can’t prove it, we don’t print it.
- The Primary Source Requirement: We don’t cite other news outlets as proof. If we are debunking a medical rumour, we go to peer-reviewed journals or official NHS data. If it’s an economic claim, we look at Office for National Statistics (ONS) filings or Bank of England reports. We want the original data, not someone else’s interpretation of it.
- Context is King: A number can be technically accurate and totally misleading. We not only verify the numbers, but we also verify how they’re used. If a claim is “technically true” but also misleading, we’ll label it as Misleading.
- The “Human-Only” Verification: All of the decisions on this site are made by human editors. We do not rely on algorithms to determine what is true. We think the shade of truth demands a human brain, not an algorithm.
Independence: No Strings Attached
We aren’t in the pocket of Big Pharma, the government, or any corporate giant. Our only loyalty is to the facts.
- The Funding Wall: We keep our editorial and commercial teams completely separate. An advertiser can buy a slot on our page, but they cannot buy a “Pass” on a fact-check. If a company we advertise for makes a false claim, we will debunk it with the same vigour as any other.
- Affiliate Disclosure: If we link to a product that we have vetted and found to be effective, we may earn a small commission. However, this never influences our verdict. We check the product first; the link comes later.
- No Gifts: Our writers are forbidden from accepting “samples” or “perks” that might bias their reporting. We pay for our petrol, our own supplements, and our own research materials.
Our “Traffic Light” Rating System
To keep things simple, we use a strict four-tier rating system:
- True: Based on overwhelming, verifiable evidence.
- False: The claim is factually incorrect or impossible.
- Misleading: Has an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression.
- Unproven: There isn’t enough evidence to say for sure. We won’t guess.
Owning Our Mistakes: Corrections & Transparency
We are human. We do our best, but we are not immune to occasionally misreading a dense legal filing or inadvertently placing a decimal point in the wrong spot.
- Open Corrections: When we get a fact wrong, we openly correct the post with a Correction Note. We correct the mistake and insert a clear Correction Note at the top of the article, detailing precisely what was changed and why.
- The Right to Reply: In cases where our fact-checking involves a particular individual or organization, we do our best to reach out. We allow them a reasonable opportunity to present their evidence. If they supply them after publication, we update the story straight away.
Sources and Anonymity
We believe in showing our work. You shouldn’t have to “take our word for it.”
- Hyperlink Everything: Every key fact, figure, and quote in our articles is hyperlinked to its source. We want you to be able to click through and see the evidence for yourself.
- No “Shadowy” Sources: In fact-checking, anonymous sources are rarely helpful. We avoid them. If someone isn’t willing to put their name to a claim, we treat it as a rumour, not a fact.
The Human-in-the-Loop Tech Policy
It’s 2026, and AI has taken over. But at Facts Check, we have a zero-tolerance policy for “AI slop.”
- No Machine-Generated Content: The entire content on this site is 100% AI-free. We don’t employ AI to ‘generate’ drafts or to ‘summarise’ difficult topics.
- Visual Integrity: We never generate fake or misrepresentative photos using AI. If we include a diagram drawn by an AI (like the one below), then it will be prominently labelled as such.
Fairness and British Values
We write for the whole of the UK. That means being respectful and fair to all communities.
- No Sneering: We don’t look down on people for believing a rumour. Misinformation is designed to be emotional and convincing. Our tone is helpful, not condescending.
- Neutral Language: We avoid “loaded” adjectives. We don’t call claims “stupid” or “ridiculous.” We call them False and show you why.
Legal and Ethical Guardrails
We operate within the laws of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. We do not publish libellous content, and we respect court orders and privacy laws. We are not a gossip site; we are a verification service.
Hold Us to Account
If you think we’ve missed the mark, tell us. We welcome feedback from our readers and take every complaint seriously.
- Email: Contact@factscheck.co.uk
- Response Time: We aim to address all factual complaints within 48 hours.
Thank you for trusting Facts Check. We know that in 2026, trust is the most valuable currency there is, and we intend to earn yours every single day.