The fact-checking site Snopes is having a legal battle against an outside vendor they have contracted in the past. After their contract expired, the outside company will not honor the expiration of the contract and is holding Snopes website hostage. The editorial staffs made a short plea for help to their readers to donate and help the site avoid the site's closure.
What happened to Snopes?
It was revealed that Snopes' revenues had been withheld since April by its advertising partner Proper Media. It was revealed by Snopes in their blog post that they contracted with Proper Media to provide certain services for the site "Snopes.com." For some time, the contract has been honored by the third party.
But after its expiration, the third party started acting outside the contract's scope. The third party continues to hold up Snopes and put its advertisement on the site.
The editorial staff of Snopes is still able to maintain their control though they cannot modify the site, develop it, and put other advertising on it. Advertising is important for the site, as it is the lifeblood that keeps the site up and running.
Other problems for the site
The site is now having a legal battle against Proper Media. Legal fees, as well as the operating fees, is taking a toll at the site's operation. They are asking their supporters to donate, suggesting $10 or more help the site battle the legal dispute that was threatening the site's existence.
"We need our community now more than ever, as it is only through your support that Snopes.com can remain the community and resource we all know and love." Team Snopes has concluded in their post.
The GoFundMe campaign
The Snopes site started their GoFundMe campaign last Monday, and it is looking very well. At its first day of fund raising, the site approached its $500,000 goal.
The fundraising campaign, known as #SaveSnopes by David Mikkelson now has $443,725 as of the writing in just 17 hours.
Snopes was founded in 2003 by David Mikkelson and his wife, Barbara Mikkelson. The couple divorced on 2015 and his wife sold her share of $3.6 Million to five directors of Proper Media. It is now debated in the court whether Barbara has sold her share to "five pieces of the one share" or "one piece to five people.
If the latter is true, the verdict will be with Proper Media's favor.
Snopes.comm has been running for more than 20 Years since its small start on 1994. It was one of the sites that helped Facebook sort real news from the fake ones.
