The following is a list of satirical websites that have been created by companies or individuals and contain content that has been described by fact-checkers, journalists or researchers as fake news.
List
Even though many satirical sources are labeled as such with disclaimers, there is a long history of satirical content being falsely perceived as true. According to Snopes, this misunderstanding can be due to a variety of reasons:
A lack of understanding of literary techniques typically used for satire, such as sarcasm, irony and exaggeration Satirical content being shown out of context in e-mails, memes and social media posts Satirical content not being seen in full Different satirical techniques appealing to different audiences Different readers having different frames of reference Some readers not expecting to see satirical content.
The following table lists websites considered by fact-checkers to be satire: NameDomainStatusNotesSources8Shit8shit.netAbril Unoabriluno.comResponsible for the Marlboro M hoax.actualidadpanamericana.comactualidadpanamericana.comParody/satire site, per PolitiFact.Associated Media CoverageAssociatedMediaCoverage.comSpread hoaxes since February 2016, including the false claim of a late-night motorcycle curfew.Baltimore Gazettebaltimoregazette.comUnrelated to Baltimore Gazette, a 19th-century newspaper. Possibly part of same network as Associated Media Coverage, another fake news site.Blog.VeteranTV.netBlog.VeteranTV.netPer PolitiFact.Boston Leaderbostonleader.comPossibly part of same network as Associated Media Coverage, another fake news site. Part of the same network as Batty Post.thebostontribune.comStarting in February 2016, this website spread outright hoaxes. Possibly part of same network as Associated Media Coverage, another fake news site.Business Standard Newsbizstandardnews.comDefunctIts stories have been mistaken as real-news then shared and cited as real-news. A disclaimer says the stories "could be true" because "reality is so strange nowadays". But the disclaimer also says it is "a satirical site designed to parody the 24-hour news cycle."
Its name is similar to the unrelated Indian English-language daily newspaper called Business Standard.Call the Copscallthecops.netDailySnark.comDailySnark.comParody/satire site, per PolitiFact.Duffelblog.comDuffelblog.comParody/satire site, per PolitiFact.El Mundo Todayelmundotoday.comEmpire Newsempirenews.netMany of this website's fake news hoaxes were widely shared on social media, with stories based on social or political controversies, or were simply appalling to readers. The site says that its content is for "entertainment purposes only."Florida Sun Postfloridasunpost.comPossibly part of same network as Boston Leader. Part of the same network as Batty Post.FreeWoodPost.comFreeWoodPost.comParody/satire site, per PolitiFact.HalfwayPost.comHalfwayPost.comParody/satire site, per PolitiFact.Hay Noticiahaynoticia.esheaviermetal.netheaviermetal.netSatire about heavy metal music.NationalReport.netNationalReport.netFounder Jestin Coler told Columbia Journalism Review: "When it comes to the fake stuff, you really want it to be red meat. [...] It doesn't have to be offensive. It doesn't have to be outrageous. It doesn't have to be anything other than just giving them what they already wanted to hear." In 2013, the nonpartisan FactCheck.org deemed NationalReport.net a satirical site. The site's disclaimer states "All news articles contained within National Report are fiction, and presumably fake news. Any resemblance to the truth is purely coincidental."Nevada County Scooper (NC Scooper)ncscooper.comSatire site, per Snopes. False claims that the US federal government planned to confiscate weapons had spread on social media.News Feed ObserverNewsFeedObserver.comParody/satire, per FactCheck.org.The Lapinethelapine.caThe Oniontheonion.comActiveAmerican digital media company and newspaper organization that publishes satirical articles on international, national, and local news. Its articles cover real and fictional current events, parodying the tone and format of traditional news organizations with stories, editorials, and street interviews using a traditional news website layout.The People's CubeThePeoplesCube.comParody/satire site, per PolitiFact.The Postillonthe-postillon.comParody/satire, per FactCheck.org and PolitiFact.Real News Right NowRealnewsrightnow.comParody/satire site, per FactCheck.org and PolitiFact.TheRealShtick.comTheRealShtick.comParody/satire site, per PolitiFact.There Is Newsthereisnews.comSatira Tribunesatiratribune.comSatire site, per Snopes. False claims that Jimmy Carter had cured his cancer via medical marijuana had spread on social media.Seattle Tribunetheseattletribune.comPossibly part of same network as Associated Media Coverage, another fake news site.Southend News Networksouthendnewsnetwork.netLocal satire site for Southend, England. Some hoaxes have been mistaken by some local residents as true. Recognized by the Southend-on-Sea City Council as an "official media outlet" despite its satire to further community engagement.The Spoofthespoof.comStraight Stonedstraightstoned.comHosted on the same webserver as Action News 3.U OK Hunuokhun.ukHas the same AdSense ID as Southend News Network.The Valley Reportthevalleyreport.comCreated by a comedian to publish satire and hoaxes.worldnewsdailyreport.comRun by Janick Murray-Hall. Its disclaimer states, "World News Daily Report assumes all responsibility for the satirical nature of its articles and for the fictional nature of their content. All characters appearing in the articles in this website—even those based on real people—are entirely fictional and any resemblance between them and any person, living, dead or undead, is purely a miracle."
The Last Line of Defense NameDomainStatusNotesSourcesAmerica's Last Line of DefenseAmericaslastlineofdefense.orgPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.As American as Apple PieAsAmericanAsApplePie.orgFalsely claimed that Alec Baldwin was arrested for threatening President Trump. Parody/satire site, per FactCheck.org, PolitiFact and Snopes. Part of same network as The Last Line of Defense.BeBest.websitebebest.websitePart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.BustATrollbustatroll.orgPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.Conservative Tearsconservativetears.comPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.coolinfo24.comcoolinfo24.comPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.Daily World Updatedailyworldupdate.comPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.Daily World Updatedailyworldupdate.usPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.Dildo the Donalddildothedonald.usDefunctThe Dunning-Kruger Timesdunning-kruger-times.comPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.Freedom CrossroadsFreedomcrossroads.usParody/satire, per FactCheck.org and PolitiFact. Part of the same network as The Last Line of Defense.Freedum JunkshunFreedumJunkshun.comPart of the same network as The Last Line of Defense.ladiesofliberty.netladiesofliberty.netPart of the same network as The Last Line of Defense.thelastlineofdefense.orgThis website has a history of publishing fake news articles, especially of the political genre. Notable hoaxes include Donald Trump revoking the press credentials of six major news outlets, Michelle Obama getting ditched by the Secret Service, and Hillary Clinton describing Beyoncé's music using racial slurs. Although the website claims to be written by "a group of educated, God-fearing Christian conservative patriots who are tired of Obama's tyrannical reign and ready to see a strong Republican take the White House," its articles are in fact all written by one person, Christopher Blair, who has written under multiple pen names. As of 2019, Blair's site is now branded as "Daily World Update: satire for flat-Earthers, Trumpsters and Y'all-Qaeda." (thelastlineofdefense.online)thelastlineofdefense.onlinePart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.No Fake News Onlinenofakenews.onlinePart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.nofakenewsonline.usnofakenewsonline.usPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.notmypot.usnotmypot.usPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.Nunadisbereel.comNunadisbereel.comParody/satire site, per PolitiFact. Part of same network as The Last Line of Defense.ObamaWatcherobamawatcher.comPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.Our Land of the FreeOurlandofthefree.comParody/satire, per FactCheck.org and PolitiFact. Part of same network as The Last Line of Defense.potatriotpost.compotatriotpost.comPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.PotatriotsUnite.comPotatriotsUnite.comRe-state.usRe-state.usPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense. Spoof of DeadState.Reagan Was Rightreaganwasright.comPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.Sdopessdopes.comPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense. Spoof of Snopes.TatersGonnaTatetatersgonnatate.comPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.Tater Reporttaterreport.comPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.TrumpBetrayed.ustrumpbetrayed.usPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.trumpscrewed.ustrumpscrewed.usPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.wearethellod.comwearethellod.comPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.Worstpot.usworstpot.usPart of same network as The Last Line of Defense.
Newslo NameDomainStatusNotesSourcesNewslonewslo.comParody/satire, per FactCheck.org and PolitiFact.Politicalo.comPoliticalo.comParody/satire site, per PolitiFact. Part of Newslo network.Politicass.comPoliticass.comParody/satire site, per PolitiFact.Politicono.comPoliticono.comParody/satire site, per PolitiFact. Part of Newslo network.Politicopspoliticops.comParody/satire, per FactCheck.org and PolitiFact. Part of Newslo network.Politicotpoliticot.comParody/satire, per FactCheck.org and PolitiFact. Part of Newslo network.Religionlo.comReligionlo.comParody/satire site, per PolitiFact. Part of Newslo network.The RightistsTherightists.comParody/satire, per FactCheck.org and PolitiFact. Part of Newslo network.
Deceptive satire Some websites self-labeled as satire have been accused by journalists from news outlets such as Politico and The New Republic of duplicity by means of clickbait headlines, humorless appeals to partisans, hidden disclaimers, and oversaturation of ads.