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According to SaveSnopes, the Snopes fact-checking web-site is in trouble because a service provider is refusing to hand-over advertising revenue for the site.

Snopes.com, ... is in danger of closing its doors. So, for the first time in our history, we are turning to you, our readership, for help.

Since our inception, we have always ... had ... no source of revenue other than that provided by online advertising. Unfortunately, we have been cut off from our historic source of advertising income.

We had previously contracted with an outside vendor to provide certain services for Snopes.com. That contractual relationship ended earlier this year, but the vendor will not acknowledge the change in contractual status and continues to essentially hold the Snopes.com web site hostage.

Is that what is going on? Or is this a hoax/scam?

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Frames Catherine White
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    It seems there is a legal dispute at the moment between the two parties that "own" Snopes.com. We shouldn't try to resolve which side is truthiest while there is a court-case going on. I am trying to work out how we can ask whether SaveSnopes is a hoax without getting mixed into an ongoing court case. – Oddthinking Jul 25 '17 at 13:07
  • After some consideration, I think the best approach is to close because it is [under legal dispute](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/07/25/snopes_seeks_bailout_amid_legal_dispute/) – Oddthinking Jul 25 '17 at 13:11
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    I hear there's a website out there which handles this kind of thing and will tell us whether or not this is true... If only I could remember what the name of it was. – aslum Jul 25 '17 at 13:11
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    @aslum: I think you are referring to Skeptics.StackExchange.com – Oddthinking Jul 25 '17 at 13:15
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    No, my understanding is Skeptics.SE won't entertain the subject. d: – aslum Jul 25 '17 at 14:07
  • @Oddthinking fair enough – Frames Catherine White Jul 25 '17 at 14:20
  • @aslum: Do you think there is a legitimate question we can answer here? I was entertaining the idea that there could be a real question whether David Mikkelson and/or Bardav Inc are behind SaveSnopes.com, if that is genuinely in doubt. But if the question is whether SaveSnopes's claims are more accurate than Proper Media's claims, do you think it is any meaningful way to answer it before the [complaint](http://www.poynter.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Snopes-COMPLAINT.pdf) is resolved? – Oddthinking Jul 25 '17 at 14:24
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    @Oddthinking Mostly I was just being snarky because of the two obvious authorities on these kind of things, one has a vested self interest ( [relevent xkcd](https://xkcd.com/250/) ) and the other won't answer for probably good reasons... It's kind of a catch-22 situation ... so humor. – aslum Jul 25 '17 at 14:28
  • Certainly, the question of "who owns/publishes SaveSnopes" seems like it might be pertinent and answerable. Disputations of fact with respect to a legal matter are something we don't want to get embroiled in, but "is this just some third-party conman trying to make a quick buck by pretending to be someone he isn't?" seems well within our remit. – Ben Barden Jul 25 '17 at 16:31
  • @BenBarden if I understood it correctly from my (admittedly very limited) reading of the story this morning, that's actually an unanswered question that is at the heart of the problem right now – DenisS Jul 25 '17 at 17:04
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    Well, we can be pretty sure of at least a few things based on some reading around. First, SaveSnopes and the associated Gofundme are linked directly off the Snopes page - if they contain falsehood, it's because the people currently in control of site content are lying. Second, there is an ugly legal battle brewing over the control of the company and associated website, following off of an earlier ugly divorce. The details of who exactly is at fault for what aren't anything we want to get into, but other than that, it looks pretty legit. – Ben Barden Jul 25 '17 at 18:36
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    @BenBarden: I agree that if the OP just wants to know if SaveSnopes is run by Mikkelsen and Bardav, that's in our remit and it should be edited to that. I'm looking for some indication from the OP that's the case, because I think the OP had the bigger question of whether David Mikkelson is *right* with his claims. That interests me too, because I want Snopes to thrive, but we need be patient to find out. – Oddthinking Jul 26 '17 at 00:05

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