About PolitiFACTOID.com

PolitiFACTOID.com is a blog created in December 2013 that provides critiques of news stories. These critiques have the purpose of exposing and debunking factoids and bias related to U.S. politics as perpetuated by the news media.

The critiques are provided using excerpts from the original news stories that are being critiqued. The excerpts appear in black type and the critiques appear in blue, indented type within the body of the excerpts.

Access to PolitiFACTOID.com is provided free of charge. PolitiFACTOID.com not only does not require payment but it also does not collect any information about persons who visit the site. Visitors can even leave comments without having to log-in or identify themselves.

PolitiFACTOID.com uses the term "factoid" with the meaning it was originally intended to have, in keeping with any of the following definitions:

1. an invented fact believed to be true because it appears in print (Merriam-Webster);
2. a questionable or spurious (unverified, false, or fabricated) statement presented as a fact, but without supporting evidence (Wikipedia);
3. an assumption or speculation that is reported and repeated so often that it becomes accepted as fact (Oxford); or
4. something fictitious or unsubstantiated that is presented as fact, devised especially to gain publicity and accepted because of constant repetition (Reference.com).

"Factoid" has also taken on a different meaning in recent years, due to repeated misuse of the term in popular media and cyberspace. That mistaken meaning is something along the lines of "an insignificant or trivial fact." This unfortunate misinformation about the meaning of "factoid" is, by its nature, a factoid in and of itself. A factoid is something that is not  true or something that cannot be substantiated as being true, as opposed to something that is  true yet is trivial or insignificant. There's already a word for that latter concept, which is "trivia." The term "factoid" is not a synonym for "trivia."

Both Wikipedia and The Guardian contain informative content about the origin and proper meaning of the term, as well as the misuse of the term, not to mention a good alternative to replace the misuse of the term (with "factlet"). Also, The Atlantic posted a story in 2012 urging everyone to stop misusing "factoid."

In any event, PolitiFACTOID.com uses the term "factoid" properly.

About the Webmaster

PolitiFACTOID.com is operated by a person who is employed in the political arena in the U.S. capital. Because these critiques often delve into political issues in which I cannot become publicly involved, I have chosen not to identify myself by name. However, I also have a journalism background, and I go to great lengths to be as accurate as possible and to provide substantiation for assertions made in my critiques, as well as links to my sources. If you find I've made a mistake about something on the website, please .

I only have so much time to devote to PolitiFACTOID.com. You'd be surprised how much time and energy it takes to research and compose a critique as thorough as those you find here at this website. These critiques get down to the nitty gritty; they don't just skim the surface. Given that, and the fact that I also have a full-time day job and family obligations, I have to carefully choose which news stories will get critiqued. I will typically choose those that contain an egregious amount of factoids or an egregious amount of bias, or stories that get under my skin in some particular way.

If you know of a news story that deserves to be critiqued at PolitiFACTOID.com, feel free to by sending an email with a description of the story and a link, with the understanding that I might or might not be able to post a critique.