Terms of use and disclaimer

What our checks are

Every check is our assessment of a rumor, based on information that is publicly available at the time of the check: official documents and statements, news agencies and media, fact-checking organizations, research, social media. Each fact links to its source, so you can verify it yourself.

We describe facts as they are in the sources and do not twist them. Where sources disagree or something cannot be confirmed, we say so directly.

Not a guarantee

• A verdict is an informed conclusion, not a guarantee of truth. Next to each verdict we show how confident we are and why.
• Facts change. A check is correct as of the date shown on it; we keep following active rumors and add updates, but new information may appear after the last update.
• Sources can be wrong, too. We weigh them by reliability (see the methodology), but we cannot rule out errors in them.

You make the decision

Use our checks as one of several sources for your own judgment. What you do with the information is your decision. Our checks are not legal, medical, financial or safety advice. In an emergency, follow the instructions of official services.

How checks are prepared

Checks are researched and written by an AI system that follows our published methodology. Some are reviewed by a person before publication; others are published after an independent automated quality check. Every check is in Russian first and then translated by the same system. We correct errors as soon as we learn about them.

How we weigh sources

We give more weight to primary sources (documents, official data, statements of the organizations involved) and to established outlets with editorial standards, such as international news agencies, than to anonymous channels and social media posts. Anonymous and unverifiable sources never decide a verdict on their own. Details are in the methodology.

Corrections and right of reply

If you find an error, or if a check mentions you or your organization and you disagree, contact us via the form on the home page with a link to the check and your evidence. We review every request and, if we were wrong, correct the check and record the change in its “Updates” section.

Links and quotations

We link to third-party sites but do not control them and are not responsible for their content. Quotations are short and used for criticism and review; rights belong to their owners. You may share links to our checks and quote them with a link to the source.

What you send us

When you send a rumor for checking, do not include personal data of other people, insults or illegal content. By sending it, you allow us to use the text to research the rumor and describe the rumor in a published check. We may decline any request without giving a reason.

Limitation of liability

The site is provided “as is”. To the extent permitted by law, we are not liable for any loss arising from use of the site or from decisions made on the basis of its content. Nothing in these terms limits liability that cannot be limited by law, or your rights as a consumer.

Changes and contact

We may update these terms; the date at the top shows the latest version. If a translation differs from the English text, the English text prevails. Questions: contact us via the form on the home page.