Help:FAQ
Answers to common questions about Bullshitopedia: what it is, how to read an entry, how verdicts are reached and how to take part.
About Bullshitopedia
What the site is, who runs it and how it is paid for.
01What is Bullshitopedia?
A free, open encyclopedia of false, misleading and unsupported claims, past and present. Each entry records what was claimed, where it came from, what the evidence shows, how it spread and how the record changed, with links to the sources.
02How is it different from Wikipedia?
Wikipedia documents what is known. Bullshitopedia documents what was claimed and turned out not to be true, and keeps the whole story: the claim, the debunking and any later corrections. Many entries link to Wikipedia so readers can find the accurate account.
03How is it different from fact-checking sites?
Fact-checkers usually rule on a current claim and move on. We keep a permanent, cross-linked record that spans centuries, classify every claim by subject and by the way it deceives, and update verdicts as evidence changes. We cite fact-checkers often; we see our work as complementary to theirs.
04Is Bullshitopedia satire?
No. The name is blunt, but every entry is serious and sourced. Satire appears on the site only as a subject, when a joke was later mistaken for fact.
05Why the name?
Because it says plainly what the site is about. The philosopher Harry Frankfurt gave the word a precise meaning in his essay On Bullshit: speech produced with no regard for whether it is true.
06Who runs the site?
Bullshitopedia is run by the Bullshitopedia Foundation, a nonprofit corporation organized in Washington State, together with volunteer editors.
07Is Bullshitopedia politically neutral?
It is nonpartisan. We document false claims wherever they come from and we do not create false balance. Some periods produce more false claims from one side than another, and the record reflects that. Editors from every perspective who care about evidence are welcome.
08How is the site funded?
By donations from readers. The donation link appears in the banner at the top of the site.
09Are donations tax-deductible?
The Foundation is organized as a charitable nonprofit and intends to seek recognition as a 501(c)(3) organization. Until that recognition is granted, please do not assume a gift is deductible, and check with a tax adviser.
10How many entries are there?
There are currently 636 pages in the main encyclopedia, and the number grows every week. See the newest entries.
Reading an entry
What the parts of an entry mean.
01What is in a typical entry?
An infobox with the verdict and classification, a lead paragraph, and sections on the claim, its origin, what the evidence shows and why it persists. Many entries add lessons for readers and related cases, and every entry ends with its sources.
02What does the verdict stamp mean?
It is our conclusion about the claim. There are nine verdicts: False, Misleading, Unsupported, Manipulated media, Outdated, Disputed, Unverified, Satire or parody, and Corrected.
03What is the difference between False and Misleading?
False means the claim is wrong on the evidence. Misleading means it contains some truth but leaves a false overall impression, for example by leaving out context or stretching a real number.
04What is the difference between False and Unsupported?
False means evidence shows the claim is wrong. Unsupported means no credible evidence has been produced for it, even if it cannot be strictly disproved.
05What is a domain?
The subject a claim is about, such as Health & Medicine or War, Conflict & Geopolitics. There are 23 domains and every entry belongs to exactly one. Browse all domains.
06What is a tactic?
The way a claim deceives, such as Fabrication, False Context or Conspiracy Theory. There are ten tactics, and an entry can have up to three. See how we classify claims.
07What does Era mean?
Historical claims arose before mass internet use, roughly before 1995, and spread through print, broadcast or word of mouth. Current claims arose, or are spreading again, in the internet and social-media era.
08What do First seen and Origin mean?
First seen is the earliest date we can document for the claim. Origin is where it started: a person, a publication, a document or a platform.
09What does Last reviewed mean?
The date an editor last checked the entry against its sources. Fast-moving topics are reviewed more often.
10How do I find related entries?
Use the See also links, the category links at the bottom of each entry, the domain pages, or the Further reading link in the infobox, which leads to books on the same subject in our Library.
Evidence and standards
How verdicts are reached and kept up to date.
01What counts as a reliable source?
Primary documents, court records, official reports and statistics, peer-reviewed research, and established journalism and fact-checking. We prefer the original source over coverage of it.
02Why do you link to Wikipedia?
To point readers to where accurate information on a subject lives. We treat Wikipedia as a starting point and check its underlying sources rather than citing it as final proof.
03Can a verdict change?
Yes. Verdicts are kept separate from an entry's classification precisely so they can change as evidence develops. An entry may move to Outdated, Disputed or Corrected, and the history of the change is kept.
04Why include claims that experts once believed?
Because the record of how knowledge changed matters. When a once-reasonable claim has been overturned, we label it Outdated rather than mocking the people who believed it.
05Do you cover questions that are still genuinely debated?
Yes, with the verdict Disputed, when credible evidence exists on more than one side. We explain what is known and what remains uncertain.
06Do you accuse people of lying?
We document claims and the evidence about them. We describe someone as knowingly deceiving only when that is established, for example by a confession, a court finding or documents.
07Why keep false claims on the site instead of deleting them?
False claims tend to come back. A permanent, sourced record lets anyone see quickly that a claim has been checked before, and why it failed.
08How do you choose which claims to cover?
We prioritize claims that spread widely, cause real harm, are historically significant or show clearly how deception works. Claims circulating during elections, emergencies and conflicts get priority.
09How do you handle breaking news?
Carefully. Early reports are often wrong. A new claim may be labeled Unverified until reliable evidence is available, and the entry is updated as facts emerge.
10What if I think an entry is wrong?
Signed-in editors can raise it on the entry's Discussion page with sources. Entries are corrected openly, and the page history shows every change.
Contributing
How to become an editor and write entries.
01Can anyone edit Bullshitopedia?
Anyone can read it. Editing requires an editor account, which helps protect the record from vandalism and coordinated campaigns.
02How do I become an editor?
Request an account. Requests are reviewed before they are approved.
03Are edits checked?
Yes. Changes are reviewed by experienced editors before they become the version readers see by default.
04How do I propose a new entry?
First search to make sure the claim is not already covered, possibly under a different wording. Then start the entry as a draft or raise it on a related Discussion page.
05How should an entry be written?
State the claim as it circulated, explain where it came from, set out what the evidence shows and why the claim persists, and finish with sources. Write plainly, in short sentences, and let the evidence do the work.
06How do I choose the domain and tactics?
File the claim under what it is about, not where it spread. When two domains fit, choose the more specific one. Tactics describe how the claim deceives, most important first. Details are on the Taxonomy page.
07What is the Claim template?
The infobox at the top of every entry. Fill in its fields and it displays the verdict and files the page into the right categories automatically. It also flags misspelled or missing values for editors to fix.
08How should I cite sources?
List them in the Sources section, as specifically as possible: author, title, publisher or court, and date. Prefer primary sources, link to them where you can, and never cite a source you have not checked yourself.
09What is not allowed?
Unsourced allegations, personal attacks, original research, copying text from other publications, promotional content and edits made to push a cause rather than to document evidence.
10Can I add books to the Library?
Yes. Books and reports about deception and misinformation can be added to the Library using the Book template, which files them by domain and tactic.
Using the site
Searching, browsing and display options.
01How do I search?
Use the search box at the top of every page. Try a few key words from the claim rather than the exact wording, since the same claim often circulates in different forms.
02How do I browse by subject?
Open the domain pages to see every entry in a subject such as History or Disasters & Emergencies.
03Is there a way to explore at random?
Yes. Random case takes you to a random entry.
04What is the Library?
A curated bibliography of books and reports about deception, propaganda and misinformation, organized by the same domains and tactics as the entries.
05Where can I see what changed recently?
Recent changes lists every edit, and New pages lists the newest entries.
06Can I read in dark mode?
Yes. Use the Appearance options to choose light, dark or automatic, which follows your device setting.
07Can I change the text size?
Yes. The Appearance options also let you choose small, standard or large text and a standard or wide layout.
08Does the site work on phones?
Yes. Pages adapt to smaller screens in any modern mobile browser.
09How do I share or cite an entry?
Copy the page address. For a citation that will not change as the entry is updated, use Permanent link in the Tools menu. Where possible, also cite the original sources listed in the entry.
10How is my privacy protected?
Reading does not require an account. See the privacy policy for how the site handles data.