Snopes.com’s legal battle with outside vendor Proper Media, which the fact-checking website said was holding it hostage, has escalated to a GoFundMe campaign that has quickly met a $500,000 goal. The outcome could determine the internet's ability to ferret out hoaxes and fake news.
Proper Media describes itself as a digital media company that owns, operates and represents web properties that provide unique news and entertainment-based content. Its operators call themselves "masters of programmatic monetization."
Snopes said Proper Media has cut it off from advertising income, will not return control of the site, is inserting its own ads on it and is withholding advertising revenue, The Associated Press reported.
Snopes was founded by David Mikkelson in 1994 as part of his interest in researching urban legends and has since grown into the largest fact-checking site on the Internet. Snopes says it is widely used and regarded by journalists.
Snopes started the GoFundMe campaign on Monday and reached the half-million dollar goal about 24 hours later.
A lawyer for Proper Media, Karl Kronenberger, told The New York Times that Mikkelson didn't properly cancel their contract and that Mikkelson retains control of the Snopes.com domain name.
Both sides have sued each other in California.
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