Snopes Builds Independent Crowdfunding to Fight 2020 Election Disinformation
Fact-checking site Snopes launches its own crowdfunding platform to reduce reliance on major tech companies ahead of the 2020 election. The move follows a frustrating partnership with Facebook that highlighted a fundamental mismatch in priorities.
Fact-checking organization Snopes builds its own crowdfunding infrastructure to prepare for the disinformation battles expected during the 2020 election. This strategic shift comes as the company distances itself from an ineffectual fact-checking partnership with Facebook, realizing that major tech platforms treat truth as a secondary consideration.
Vinny Green, Vice President of Operations at Snopes, dismisses the current fact-checking efforts of major tech companies as "credibility theater." He points out the massive disproportionality between Facebook's public relations staff and the total number of formal fact-checkers globally, emphasizing that companies like Apple and Google lack the mandate to ensure healthy online discourse.
Instead of relying on platforms like Patreon or Kickstarter, Snopes creates a custom crowdfunding system that currently offers rewards-based backing but plans to introduce subscriptions soon. Founder David Mikkelson frames this direct-to-reader funding model as a natural evolution that allows the site to maintain its mission without begging for support from corporations that do not share its values.