One of the most trafficked posts on Ethics Alarms in 2016 was this one, almost exactly one year ago, in which I described the deterioration of the Snopes “urban legend” website into a partisan, social justice mouthpiece that was spinning for the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton. It recieved so many shares that Ethics Alarms was a target of Hillary’s paid online trolls, who wrote almost identical comments with the same talking points. Few posts here have ever resulted in so many banned commenters. Since that post designating Snopes as an Unethical Website, I stopped using the site, as I said I would until it repented and reformed…
With all the misinformation on the web, a trustworthy web site like Snopes used to be is essential. Unfortunately, a site that is the purveyor of falsity cannot also be the antidote for it. I’ll miss Snopes, but until it acknowledges its ethics breach and convinces me that the site’s days of spinning and lying were a short-lived aberration, I won’t be using it again.
Apparently I wasn’t the only one. Snopes’ reputation is thoroughly tarnished. Thus I can’t tell whether today’s sudden counter-partisan effort is born of sincerity or a survival instinct, but it is certainly welcome, and a shock.
The new post is titled,
The Lies of Donald Trump’s Critics, and How They Shape His Many Personas: An in-depth analysis of the false allegations and misleading claims made against the 45th President since his inauguration
I find the article somewhat meandering and scattershot, but it still constitutes an important effort to splash cold water on the anti-Trump fever. That splash should be especially effective because Snopes had established itself as such a reliable ally to those doing the lying Snopes condemns.
To my knowledge, none of the other alleged fact-checking columns have been this direct and this thorough in pointing out the phenomenon that Ethics Alarms has been discussing for more than a year. We shall see if the new entry was just a ruse so Snopes could recover lost readers and start spinning for the Left again with renewed influence. I recommend wariness. Nevertheless, this essay is much needed, and we should give credit where credit is due.
Ethics Alarms 
One step in the right direction. But I’ll still rip on Snopes for 2 things:
1 – The article is still there with no update. It would be unethical to black hole it; it would be highly ethical to update and / or retract some of the points.
2 – “Kim” is still posting. She posted yesterday:
http://www.snopes.com/author/kim/
I suspect attempted clickbaiting. (I did not click on the link in your post.)
I had already read it, and it’s legit. Like Jack said, it’s rather scattershot. but still factual.
The “Conclusion” section consists of random thoughts that don’t summarize what came before and don’t conclude much of anything. It would be interesting to see what it said before editing.
I could tell you, but the NSA would come for you.
I think the site turned in a place for liberal zombies a long time ago. One thing I learned about zombies a long time ago: They can’t change back!
I repented a year ago and there’s still been no acceptance of said apology. It still irritates me to have been accused of ageism. But, I digress.
That article deftly avoids the lies and exaggerations by big media. They go after bloggers, Twitter-twits and Cobert — but any article discussing lies/distortions about Trump that doesn’t include the words “CNN” “New York Times” and “Washington Post” is half-assed at best.
Good observation. The specific examples cited virtually all originated in the news media, but it’s interesting that this topic is avoided.
That or they’ve learned how crappily people regard them so they are going to tell the truth about a few things, readers will, via cognitive dissonance, assume a full turn around and buy all the future lies they intend to push.
Bingo, I fear.
What Tex expressed is exactly why Snopes has lost me permanently. Forgiveness, once given, is not always twice give-able. Trust, once broken, is never fully reparable, except for incurable suckers.
Yes, I’m married, and yes, I hold myself to my own high standard.
PS I still have not clicked the link, and never will.
They appear to be in serious trouble, and are in danger of having to close down the site.
https://www.savesnopes.com/
In a word: good. I hope I helped put them here.
Hahahahahahahha….(gasp) …hahahahahahahahaha
Thus to all tyrants! Er, political hack sites purporting to be unbiased!