Media Bias/Fact Check

Independently operated database of news source bias ratings and factual reporting scores. Covers 7,000+ sources with transparent methodology.

Verification

Adequate

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com · Reviewed 2026-04-11 · Editorial assessment by Mike Schneider — not an independent security audit

What should journalists know about Media Bias/Fact Check?

Media Bias/Fact Check is the most widely cited source-bias database on the internet, and it's essentially a one-person operation. Dave Van Zandt, a registered unaffiliated voter with a background in physiology (not journalism), has been running MBFC since 2015, investing 60-80 hours per week with volunteer help. The methodology combines objective measures (sourcing, corrections policy) with subjective editorial judgment on story selection and language — which is simultaneously its strength (human nuance) and weakness (scalability, consistency). For journalists, MBFC is useful as a quick sanity check — 'has this source been flagged for poor factual reporting?' — but it's not a fact-checking tool itself. It rates sources, not claims. The ratings have been adopted by browser extensions, Wikipedia editors, and academic researchers, which gives them outsized influence. The operation is ad-supported with no institutional funding, which keeps it independent but also resource-constrained. Take any individual rating with appropriate skepticism — the value is in the aggregate pattern across 7,000+ sources, not any single call.

Best for

Quick reference on whether a source has a documented track record of factual reporting. Building source lists for coverage. Media literacy education. Identifying outlets with known bias patterns before citing them. Browser extension integration for real-time source checking.

Not for

Fact-checking specific claims (use dedicated fact-checkers like Snopes, PolitiFact). Verifying individual articles — MBFC rates the source, not the story. High-stakes editorial decisions where a single rating shouldn't determine inclusion. Assessing sources outside English-language media (coverage is limited). Anyone expecting academic-grade methodology with peer review.

Security & Privacy

Encryption in transit Yes

Data is scrambled while being sent to their servers

Encryption at rest Unknown

Data is scrambled when stored on their servers

Data jurisdiction United States (Media Bias Fact Check LLC, registered in the US). Standard web hosting with advertising partners (Google, Snigel). No user accounts required for core functionality. Subject to US legal process.

Where servers are located — affects which governments can request your data

Security rating Adequate

Ad-supported website using Google AdSense and Snigel for advertising. Standard web tracking associated with ad networks. No user registration required to access ratings. No sensitive user data collected beyond standard web analytics. Third-party ad cookies are present.

How to protect yourself:

Use an ad blocker when browsing the site to minimize tracking from advertising networks. Don't treat any single MBFC rating as definitive — cross-reference with AllSides, Ad Fontes Media, or NewsGuard for additional perspectives. No login required, so no account data at risk. The site is a reference tool, not a workflow tool — you're reading ratings, not submitting data.

This is a reference website, not a workflow tool — you read it, you don't submit sensitive data to it. HTTPS is enabled. The main privacy consideration is standard ad-network tracking (Google AdSense, Snigel), which is easily mitigated with an ad blocker. No user accounts, no sensitive data collection. The security question here is about the reliability of the information rather than data protection — and on that front, it's a useful first-pass reference that shouldn't be treated as authoritative on its own.

Who Owns This

Owner Media Bias Fact Check LLC (Dave Van Zandt, sole owner and editor)

Funding Self-funded and ad-supported. No institutional investors, no grants, no political organization funding. Revenue comes entirely from third-party advertising (Google AdSense, Snigel). Volunteers contribute ratings work and receive variable cash gifts based on contribution.

Business model Free ad-supported website. Revenue from display advertising. No subscription fees, no premium tier for core ratings. Independence maintained by avoiding direct funding from political organizations or media companies being rated.

Known issues

One-person operation with volunteer help — scalability and consistency concerns are real. Founder has no formal journalism or political science credentials. Methodology combines objective and subjective measures without external peer review. Some critics argue the 'center' bias anchor point is itself a subjective editorial choice. Individual ratings can lag behind source changes (a formerly reliable outlet that degrades may keep its old rating). Ad-heavy experience without a blocker. Limited coverage of non-English sources.

Pricing

Free to access all ratings and methodology pages. Supported by third-party advertising (Google AdSense, Snigel). No paywall on core ratings database. Some premium features may be available but core functionality is free.

This is an editorial assessment based on publicly available information as of 2026-04-11, using our published methodology. Independent security review is pending. Security posture can change at any time. This is not a guarantee of safety.

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