We try to classify stories in descriptive categories such as:
Truth! usually means we have found reliable or first-hand sources who are willing to vouch for the validity of the story.
Fiction! usually means we have found reliable or first-hand sources who know the story is false and who deny it. It can also mean that we have classified a story as a long-standing and well known urban legend or that there is a conspicuous lack of evidence that it is true.
Reported to be Truth! or Reported to be Fiction! usually means that we have found a source for the story, but usually a single source whose credibility is either not known to us or may be questionable.
Unproven! usually means we have not found reliable or first-hand sources to satisfactorily confirm or deny the story. It may or may not be true, but we have not found what we regard to be proof either way.
Truth! & Fiction! usually means parts of a story are supported by fact, but other parts are not. It’s not completely Truth! and it’s not completely Fiction!
Previously Truth! Now Ended! or Now Resolved! usually means that the story was once true, such as an urgent request for help, but is now outdated or was a project that came to an end.
Disputed! usually means that there are good people on both sides of a controversy or a claim of truth and that TruthOrFiction.com is not making a judgment as to who is right.
Pending Investigation! usually means we know about the eRumor, are investigating the allegations and will post findings when we get them.
We try to research our stories as carefully as we can and to use sources that are as reliable as possible, but there can be times when our information is incomplete, out of date, or even wrong. We welcome corrections and additions, especially if you have first-hand knowledge of anything we need to know.
We love researching eRumors that are of such importance to so many people, but we want to avoid coming across as the only measuring stick of truth. The real truth of some stories will never be known or we may only come close to the truth without actually finding it… but we do want to honor the value and the desire to pursue the truth as best we can. It’s a worthwhile effort.