Is politifact.com Safe? Security Analysis for Poynter Institute
Check if politifact.com is a scam or legitimate. Free security scan and reviews.
AI Summary
PolitiFact is a reputable non-profit fact-checking website operated by the Poynter Institute, focused on verifying political claims and providing transparent, independent journalism. It holds a strong market position as a trusted source for fact-checking with a broad audience including general public and political followers. The website offers extensive content including state editions, issue tracking, and a Truth-O-Meter rating system. Technically, the site employs modern web technologies, including Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, and advanced ad serving with consent management, ensuring a responsive and accessible user experience. Security posture is strong with HTTPS enforcement, security headers, and no visible vulnerabilities, though a dedicated security policy and incident response contact could enhance trust further. Overall, PolitiFact demonstrates high business credibility, excellent content quality, and good privacy compliance, making it a trustworthy and professional platform for political fact-checking.
Detected Technologies
🧠AI Business Intelligence
Technology stack, business insights, and market analysis powered by AI.
Business Intelligence
Market & Strategic Analysis
PolitiFact operates as a medium-sized non-profit media organization under the Poynter Institute, funded primarily through donations and memberships. Its competitive advantage lies in its recognized Truth-O-Meter system and comprehensive fact-checking coverage across multiple states and political issues. The business model emphasizes transparency and public service, targeting a broad audience interested in political accuracy and accountability. Partnerships include payment processing via politifact.fundjournalism.org. The website's content and structure support growth and engagement through newsletters, social media, and donation campaigns, reflecting a mature digital presence.
Extracted Contact Information
Marketing Intelligence Data
Phone Numbers (1)
Physical Addresses (2)
Security Posture Analysis
Comprehensive Security Assessment
The website exhibits a mature security posture with enforced HTTPS, robust security headers, and no exposed sensitive data. Use of third-party scripts is managed with consent mechanisms, reducing privacy risks. However, the absence of a public security policy and incident response contact limits transparency in security governance. No vulnerabilities or suspicious domains were detected. Compliance with GDPR is indicated through cookie consent and privacy policy. Overall, the security maturity is high but could benefit from formalized disclosure and response processes.
Strategic Recommendations
Priority Actions for Security Improvement
Publish a dedicated security policy page outlining security practices and commitments.
✨Observations
AI-powered comprehensive website and business analysis.
AI-Enhanced Website Analysis
Business Insights
Poynter Institute
PolitiFact is a fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others on its Truth-O-Meter.
excellent
consistent
Technical Stack
moderate
excellent
good
good
Security Assessment
- HTTPS enforced
- Secure cookie consent mechanism
- No exposed sensitive data in HTML
- Use of modern ad tech with consent
- No visible vulnerable libraries
Analytics & Tracking
Advertising & Marketing
Website Quality Assessment
Key Observations
Website is a professionally maintained fact-checking platform with clear editorial standards.
🛡️Security Headers
HTTP security headers analysis and recommendations.
Security Headers
HTTP security headers analysis
Missing Content-Security-Policy header
HIGHControls resources the browser is allowed to load
Missing X-XSS-Protection header
MEDIUMLegacy XSS protection (deprecated but still recommended)
Weak Referrer-Policy configuration
LOWCurrent value: "same-origin"
Missing Permissions-Policy header
MEDIUMControls browser features and APIs
Sensitive data may be cached
LOWCache-Control header should include "no-store" for sensitive pages
👤GDPR Compliance
Privacy and data protection assessment under GDPR regulations.
GDPR Compliance
Privacy and data protection assessment
No Cookie Policy found
HIGHGDPR requires clear information about cookie usage
No Cookie Consent Banner found
HIGHGDPR requires explicit consent for non-essential cookies
No Data Protection Officer mentioned
LOWLarge organizations may need to designate a DPO under GDPR
GDPR Compliance Analysis
🛡️NIS2 Compliance
Network & Information Security Directive compliance assessment.
NIS2 Compliance
Network & Information Security Directive
No information security framework found
HIGHNIS2 requires documented cybersecurity and information security measures
No vulnerability disclosure policy
MEDIUMNIS2 encourages coordinated vulnerability disclosure
No security policy documentation found
HIGHNIS2 requires documented cybersecurity governance and risk management
No incident response procedures found
HIGHNIS2 requires documented incident response and business continuity plans
No business continuity planning found
MEDIUMNIS2 emphasizes operational resilience and business continuity
No security contact information
HIGHNIS2 requires clear incident reporting channels
No vulnerability reporting mechanism
MEDIUMClear vulnerability reporting supports coordinated disclosure
No NIS2 reference found
LOWConsider explicitly mentioning NIS2 compliance efforts
📧Email Security
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation and email security assessment.
Email Security
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC validation
DMARC not enforcing
MEDIUMDMARC policy is set to "none"
No DMARC reporting
LOWDMARC aggregate reports not configured
No BIMI Record
LOWBIMI displays brand logos in email clients
No MTA-STS Policy
MEDIUMMTA-STS enforces TLS for email delivery
No TLS-RPT Record
LOWTLS-RPT provides reporting for email TLS issues
SPF Details
DKIM Selectors Found
DMARC Details
🏆SSL/TLS Security
Certificate validity and encryption analysis.
SSL/TLS Security
Certificate validity and encryption analysis
SSL Certificate Expires Within 90 Days
MEDIUMSSL certificate expires in 45 days
Weak SSL Key Length
HIGHSSL certificate uses 256-bit key, which is considered weak
Partial SSL/TLS Assessment
LOWCompleted 2 of 4 security checks due to time constraints
Certificate Details
OCSP Status
📊DNS Health
DNS configuration and security assessment.
DNS Health
DNS configuration and security assessment
DNSSEC Not Enabled
MEDIUMDNSSEC is not configured for this domain
CAA Records Not Configured
LOWCertificate Authority Authorization (CAA) records not found
DMARC Policy Set to None
LOWDMARC is configured but not enforcing any policy
Domain Registration Details
DNS Records
DNSSEC Status
DNS Performance
SPF Analysis
⚡Network Security
Port scanning and network exposure analysis.
Network Security
Port scanning and network exposure analysis
Good Network Security Posture
LOWNo unnecessary services detected on common risky ports
🔧Technical Analysis
Detailed technical findings and analysis from AI assessment.
Technical Analysis
Comprehensive security assessment findings