How we work
We are a repeater, not a reporter. Each fact-check page puts a public statement next to what the official record says about it, word for word. Every fact on it is a receipt from an official record, the page never gives a verdict of its own, and every change is logged in public.
Who we check
Anyone in a position of power or authority: politicians, governments, public bodies, regulators, companies and corporations. Readers can request a statement anonymously, and one subject is published each week.
What we repeat
Only official records: court judgments, Parliament (including Hansard), public inquiries, regulators and auditors, government publications, official statistics, statutory company filings, and international bodies such as the IMF, OECD and World Bank. News reports, blogs, social media and AI-generated text can point us to a source, but we never publish them as facts.
The statement being checked is quoted exactly as its speaker published it, with a link to where they said it.
Receipts
Every source is downloaded when it is used, given a SHA-256 fingerprint and stored unchanged. Each page lists its receipts, so anyone can check what we repeated and when.
When the record changes
Live figures, such as official statistics, are re-checked several times a day. When the source publishes a new figure or revises one, the page updates straight away. The old figure stays visible with a line through it, with a dated note saying why it changed. Every change is kept in the page's history and on the corrections page.
If we make a mistake ourselves, we label it as our correction and apologise.
Corrections
If an official source contradicts something here, send a correction request. Every request is read and gets a public decision with a reason.
The full list of sources we accept is on the official sources page.
How this site is made
The site is run by Mistabilda, Editor.
| Part of the site | Who or what does it |
|---|---|
| Fact checks (statements beside the record) | A person chooses the statement, checks the quote and figures, and publishes it. Drafts found in Hansard each morning wait for the editor's approval. |
| Receipts (archived copies with fingerprints) | Automatic: every source is downloaded and fingerprinted when it is used. |
| Live figures on fact checks and key figure pages | Automatic: re-read from the publisher several times a day. Anything unusual is held back for a person to look at. |
| Release-day pages | Automatic: written from the publisher's own series on the morning of a release, using fixed sentences that repeat the figures. |
| Questions, guides, glossary and source guides | Written with AI tools from the official sources they link to, and each link checked on the date shown; a person reviews corrections. |
| Area, constituency and country pages | Built automatically from official data files and APIs; pages with too few official figures are kept out of search results. |
| Podcast | Automatic: an AI voice reads a script built from the week's subjects and figure changes. Episodes that trip a house rule wait for the editor. |
| Corrections | Every request is read and decided by a person, and the decision is published with its reason. |
Questions
Which sources does Factcheck Ledger use?
Only official records: official statistics, Hansard and other parliamentary records, court judgments, public inquiries, regulators and auditors, government publications, statutory company filings, and international bodies such as the IMF, OECD and World Bank. Secondary accounts, such as news reports, blogs and social media posts, are never published as facts.
What is a receipt?
A receipt is a copy of a source, saved when the site used it, with a SHA-256 fingerprint so anyone can confirm it has not been changed. Each page lists its receipts, and each receipt has its own page with the archived file.
What happens when an official figure is revised?
The page updates to the new figure. The old figure stays visible with a line through it and a dated note giving the reason, and the change is logged on the corrections page and in the page's history.
Who does Factcheck Ledger check?
Anyone in a position of power or authority: politicians, governments, public bodies, regulators, and companies. Readers suggest statements anonymously.
Is Factcheck Ledger independent?
The site takes no advertising and donations never decide what is covered or how a page reads. Every figure comes from an official source, and every change is logged in public.