In 2020, we saw bad information put lives at serious risk. Dangerous, unsubstantiated medical tips ranged from gargling salt water to holding your breath to treat and test for the coronavirus. Phishing scams preyed on people’s fears about the pandemic, while conspiracies about vaccines have led to vaccine hesitancy being a top 10 world health risk. Many of us don’t know who to trust, after a UK election in which harmful tactics were used on all sides and years of feeling misled by the media.

Full Fact is a team of independent fact checkers and campaigners who find, expose and counter bad information. We rely on our supporters to help people across the UK access impartial, reliably-sourced information on topics that affect their lives. When a journalist, politician or public figure gets it wrong in public, we demand they correct themselves publicly too. And where standards and institutions don’t support honesty, we push for change.