"How does Snopes support itself? This has turned into a conspiracy theory all its own, with many people convinced that liberal billionaire George Soros is bankrolling the site.
Advertising is Snopes' only source of revenue, and Mikkelson -- who calls Soros "an all-purpose bogeyman" for people on the right -- said his site has no donors or sponsors backing it.
He said Snopes has no political leanings, doesn't accept political advertising and does not advocate for issues on the left or on the right. But many conservatives consider it a left-leaning site.
If everybody's mad at us, we must be doing something right".
David Mikkelson
Mikkelson said that has to do with the history of the political web.
"When we started out doing this, for quite a long time like 90 percent of the political stuff that went around on the Internet was anti-Democratic, anti-liberal. That's what mostly we were debunking," he said. "So people would say so if you're spending all your time debunking this stuff about Democrats or liberals it must be because you're one yourself."
It's much more even now, with people on either side of the political landscape equally upset with Snopes' work.
The stuff we write now gets "complaints from both sides," Mikkelson said. "If everybody's mad at us, we must be doing something right."
Binkowski, as the site's lead journalist, gets her share of grief on social media. "I have grown a much thicker skin," she said".
Advertising is Snopes' only source of revenue, and Mikkelson -- who calls Soros "an all-purpose bogeyman" for people on the right -- said his site has no donors or sponsors backing it.
He said Snopes has no political leanings, doesn't accept political advertising and does not advocate for issues on the left or on the right. But many conservatives consider it a left-leaning site.
If everybody's mad at us, we must be doing something right".
David Mikkelson
Mikkelson said that has to do with the history of the political web.
"When we started out doing this, for quite a long time like 90 percent of the political stuff that went around on the Internet was anti-Democratic, anti-liberal. That's what mostly we were debunking," he said. "So people would say so if you're spending all your time debunking this stuff about Democrats or liberals it must be because you're one yourself."
It's much more even now, with people on either side of the political landscape equally upset with Snopes' work.
The stuff we write now gets "complaints from both sides," Mikkelson said. "If everybody's mad at us, we must be doing something right."
Binkowski, as the site's lead journalist, gets her share of grief on social media. "I have grown a much thicker skin," she said".
