About & Methodology
Who built this, how it works, and how you can verify everything yourself.
Who Built This
Hi, I'm Luís Conceição. I'm an AI Tech Specialist based in Portugal.
I built this tool because I was tired of seeing my friends get manipulated by fake prints in WhatsApp groups. Screenshots with no source. Claims with no documents. Outrage with no evidence. I figured: if I can build software that puts the actual documents next to the claims, maybe people can decide for themselves instead of being told what to think.
This isn't paid by anyone. It's just code.
Funding & Independence
Self-funded. The total cost of this project is the domain name ($10). Hosting is free tier. There are no operating costs beyond my time.
No political donations. This project accepts no money from any political party, campaign, PAC, or politically affiliated organization.
No corporate sponsors. No company funds, influences, or has editorial control over this project.
Open source. The entire codebase and data history is public. You can audit everything: View Code on GitHub.
What This Is
ForThePeople is a transparency project. We take claims made by politicians and public figures, find the original documents, and put them side by side so you can see for yourself.
We are not affiliated with any political party. We don't tell you who to vote for. We show you the documents and let you make up your own mind.
Our Methodology
Every fact-pack follows the same process:
- Identify the claim — We find a specific, verifiable claim made by a public figure. Not opinions, not predictions — statements about facts that can be checked.
- Find the documents — We locate the primary source: parliamentary records, official votes, government documents, court filings, public databases. Not what someone said about it — the actual document.
- Show both — We present the claim and the document side by side. We include screenshots of the actual documents so you can see them without leaving the page.
- Assign a verdict — Based on what the documents show, we rate the claim using our verdict system (see below).
- Link everything — Every source is linked. Every document is accessible. If we got something wrong, you can check.
How We Select Claims
We prioritize claims that are:
- Specific and verifiable — statements about facts, not opinions or predictions
- Widely shared — claims that are circulating on social media, WhatsApp, or in mainstream discourse
- Consequential — claims that affect how people vote, what they believe about their country, or how they view other groups
- From any political side — we check claims from all parties and public figures, not just one
Our Correction Policy
If we get something wrong, we fix it publicly. Every correction is noted with a revision date and explanation of what changed. We do not silently edit fact-packs. Our Git history is public — you can see every change ever made to every article.
Verdict System
We use five verdicts. Each one means something specific:
The claim is demonstrably untrue. The documents directly contradict what was said.
The claim contains some truth but distorts the context, omits key information, or creates a false impression.
The claim is technically true but critically incomplete. Without the missing context, it creates a wrong impression.
Parts of the claim are true and parts are false. The reality is more complicated than what was said.
The claim is accurate. The documents support what was said. We include these for credibility — not everything is a lie.
Editorial Standards
- Primary sources only. We link to the actual document, not someone else's interpretation of it.
- No anonymous claims. Every fact-pack identifies who said what and when.
- Corrections are public. If we get something wrong, we update the fact-pack and note the revision.
- No ideology. We check claims from all sides. If a politician tells the truth, we say so.
- Verifiable. Every source is linked. You should never have to take our word for it.
IFCN Code of Principles
We adhere to the principles of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) Code of Principles, even though we are not yet a certified signatory. Here is how we meet each principle:
1. Non-partisanship and Fairness
We check claims from all political parties and public figures. We publish "Confirmed" verdicts when claims are true, regardless of who said them.
2. Transparency of Sources
Every fact-pack links to the primary source documents. We include screenshots and direct URLs so readers can verify independently.
3. Transparency of Funding & Organization
This project is built by Luís Conceição, self-funded (domain: $10, hosting: free tier). No political or corporate funding. Full details above.
4. Transparency of Methodology
Our 5-step process is documented above. The codebase is open source. Every edit is tracked in our public Git history.
5. Open & Honest Corrections
Corrections are made publicly with revision notes. We never silently edit. Our full edit history is visible on GitHub.
Open Source
Disinformation sites are black boxes. This project is a glass box.
The entire platform — code, data, and article history — is open source on GitHub. You can audit our code, review every edit to every fact-pack, and verify that we practice what we preach. If you find an error, you can open an issue or submit a correction.
github.com/MonsMali/ForThePeople →
Contact
Found an error? Have a claim you want us to check? Want to contribute? Reach us at contact@source-check.org.
Support & Follow
This project is free and independent. If you want to help keep it that way:
- Support on Ko-fi — help cover running costs
- Subscribe on Substack — weekly fact-check digest