RantCrush Top 5: July 25, 2017

Popular fact-checking and conspiracy theory-debunking site Snopes has asked its readers for help. According to one of its founders, David Mikkelson, the site is currently in a dispute with the company that runs its advertising, Proper Media. Mikkelson claims that Proper Media is refusing to hand over its ad revenue, or allow Bardev, Snopes’ owner, to install a new ad platform. In contrast, Proper Media claims that it actually owns Snopes, and that Mikkelson is guilty of wasteful spending as well as locking Proper Media out of the site.

Frankly, the entire thing is a mess, and one that may take a while to get sorted out in court. According to Daniel Victor of the New York Times, “Both sides hope a court hearing scheduled for August 4 will begin to bring some clarity. Proper Media hopes the judge will remove Mr. Mikkelson from the company, while Bardav is hoping the judge requires Proper Media to hand over the rest of the advertising revenue, including some money from before the contract termination took effect.” In the meantime, Mikkelson has set up a crowdfunding page to keep the site afloat.

The horrible irony of struggling to find a source that can verify whether the @snopes GoFundMe campaign is legitimate

— Ian D. Westcott (@ianwestcott) July 24, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.