Snopes.com
The Snopes.com web site was founded by David Mikkelson, a project begun in 1994 as an expression of his interest in researching urban legends that has since grown into the oldest and largest fact-checking site on the Internet, one widely regarded by journalists, folklorists, and laypersons alike as one of the world’s essential resources. Snopes.com is routinely included in annual “Best of the Web” lists and has been the recipient of two Webby awards. Snopes.com personnel have made multiple appearances as guests on national news programs such as 20/20, ABC World News, CNN Sunday Morning, and NPR’s All Things Considered, and they and their work have been profiled in numerous major news publications, including The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Reader’s Digest.
With over 20 years’ experience as a professional researcher and writer, David has created in Snopes.com what has come to be regarded as an online touchstone of rumor research. The site’s work has been described as painstaking, scholarly, and reliable, and has been lauded by the world’s top folklorists, including Jan Harold Brunvand, Gary Alan Fine, and Patricia Turner. Hundreds of the site’s articles have been cited by authors in a variety of disciplines, and various of their articles have been published in textbooks currently in use in the U.S. and Canadian school systems.
The Snopes.com web site is (and always has been) a completely independent, self-sufficient entity wholly owned by its operators and funded through advertising revenues. Neither the site nor its operators has ever received monies from (or been engaged in any business or editorial relationship with), any sponsor, political party, religious group, outside business organization, or government agency that is not disclosed here.
Snopes.com strives to be as transparent as possible.[1]
Snopes Staff
All of the members of Snopes editorial staff, in addition to their individual qualifications and experience, have completed the course in “Fact-Checking: How to Improve Your Skills in Accountability Journalism” offered by Poynter’s NewsU and the American Press Institute.
Members of the Snopes.com editorial staff are precluded from donating to, or participating in, political campaigns, political parties, or political advocacy organizations.
- David Mikkelson, Founder/Executive Editor
- Brooke Binkowski, Managing Editor
- Megan Alpert, Senior Editor
- David Emery, Senior Writer
- Dan Evon
- Arturo Garcia
- Alex Kasprak, Science Writer
- Kim LaCapria
- Dan MacGuill
- Bethania Palma Markus[2]
Support Staff
- Vinny Green, VP, Operations
- Ryan Miller, VP, Advertising
- Jordan Liles, Video Production
- Millie Chung, Graphic Design
- Liz Donaldson, Admin. Assistant
- Elyssa Young, Admin. Assistant[3]