The Record Doesn’t Lie

The Record Doesn’t Lie

The Record Doesn’t Lie

False information spreads fast. Corrections get buried, edited, or quietly removed. We're building the infrastructure to change that, permanently.

Graphic presenting a newspaper on the background with a red cutout paper with the Red Dot seal on it

Latest Investigations

Latest Investigations

Latest Investigations

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Health

Confirmed False

Viral Health Claim About New Vaccine Side Effects

A widely shared social media post states that the new vaccine "permanently damages hearing in one out of every ten recipients." The post, which has been shared more than 80,000 times, urges readers to avoid vaccination until "the truth comes out."

a stack of newspapers

Politics

Confirmed False

Fabricated Economic Data Shared by News Aggregator

A news aggregator site published a chart claiming national unemployment has reached 19 percent, "the highest in the country's history." The chart is attributed to the national statistics office and has circulated widely on messaging apps.

a photo of a protest

Economy

Confirmed False

Misleading Headline About Corporate Data Breach

A headline reading "Company Hacked: Millions of Customers' Personal Data Stolen" spread rapidly across social platforms. Readers took it to mean that the personal details of millions of the company's customers were stolen and are now in criminal hands.

A photo of an indoor protest

Politics

Confirmed False

Misleading Quote Attributed to Government Official

An image circulating online shows the Deputy Transport Minister with the quote: "If people can't afford fuel, they should simply stop driving." The post presents it as a dismissive response to rising petrol prices.

A photo of a protest

Media

Confirmed False

Reported Protest Numbers Disputed Across Media Outlets

Several media outlets reported that more than 120,000 people attended last Saturday's rally in the city's central square, and the figure is now widely shared as fact. Other outlets cited far lower counts.

A photo of a  conference

Economy

Confirmed False

Misrepresented Statements from International Conference

Social posts say delegates at an international summit on sustainable cities "agreed to ban private cars in all member cities by 2030." The claim is often accompanied by outrage about government overreach.

Manifesto

Manifesto

Manifesto

Most corrections disappear.


A retraction goes up. Then it gets updated. Then it gets buried. Then somebody with the right access edits the original quietly, and nobody notices. By the time the truth catches up, the lie has already done its job.

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We got tired of watching that happen. We're building RED DOT to fix the part of this that can actually be fixed, a permanent public record of investigated findings that nobody can quietly alter after publication. Every report we publish will be cryptographically sealed at the moment it goes live. The record stays. The version history stays. Anyone will be able to verify it independently.


We're not there yet. But we're building it in public, and you can be part of it from day one.

We got tired of watching that happen. We're building RED DOT to fix the part of this that can actually be fixed, a permanent public record of investigated findings that nobody can quietly alter after publication. Every report we publish will be cryptographically sealed at the moment it goes live. The record stays. The version history stays. Anyone will be able to verify it independently.


We're not there yet. But we're building it in public, and you can be part of it from day one.

 Initiatives We Support

 Initiatives We Support

 Initiatives We Support

Organizations that understand verification needs infrastructure, not just intention.

Organizations that understand verification needs infrastructure, not just intention.

Forbidden Stories logo

When a journalist is silenced, Forbidden Stories makes sure the work gets published anyway. We support what they stand for, the story doesn't die with the reporter.

Forbidden Stories

Forbidden Stories logo

When a journalist is silenced, Forbidden Stories makes sure the work gets published anyway. We support what they stand for, the story doesn't die with the reporter.

Dosie Logo

An independent nonprofit tracking corruption and illegal activity tied to Russian authorities, using leaked documents, public registries, and cross-verification rather than publishing raw dumps. The standard of how sensitive information should be handled.

Dosie

Dosie Logo

An independent nonprofit tracking corruption and illegal activity tied to Russian authorities, using leaked documents, public registries, and cross-verification rather than publishing raw dumps. The standard of how sensitive information should be handled.

Lighthouse Reports Logo

A cross-border investigative team that received a special mention at the IJ4EU Impact Awards, known for data-driven investigations into migration, human rights, and power. Active, European, respected, and independent. They've collaborated with Der Spiegel, Le Monde, and others.

Lighthouse Reports

Lighthouse Reports Logo

A cross-border investigative team that received a special mention at the IJ4EU Impact Awards, known for data-driven investigations into migration, human rights, and power. Active, European, respected, and independent. They've collaborated with Der Spiegel, Le Monde, and others.

Correctiv Logo

One of Europe's most rigorous nonprofit newsrooms. They investigate what others ignore and publish what others won't. We pay attention to what they find.

Correctiv

Correctiv Logo

One of Europe's most rigorous nonprofit newsrooms. They investigate what others ignore and publish what others won't. We pay attention to what they find.

Ivestigate Europe Logo

A pan-European team asking the questions that don't stop at borders. The stories that matter most rarely do.

Investigate Europe

Ivestigate Europe Logo

A pan-European team asking the questions that don't stop at borders. The stories that matter most rarely do.

Open Democracy Logo

Independent journalism covering power, corruption, and democratic accountability. No owners with agendas. No advertisers to protect. That matters.

Open Democracy

Open Democracy Logo

Independent journalism covering power, corruption, and democratic accountability. No owners with agendas. No advertisers to protect. That matters.

FAQ

FAQ

FAQ

What is RED DOT?
Does RED DOT remove or censor content?
Who investigates the cases?
Who can submit a report?
Are RED DOT reports legally binding?
Still have questions?
Still have questions?

Still have questions?

Contact us: contact@thereddot.org

Contact us: contact@thereddot.org

Contact us: contact@thereddot.org

Keep This Going

Keep This Going

Keep This Going

We don't take advertising. We don't take money from anyone with a stake in what we publish. We're building something independent, and that only works if people who care about independent verification support it directly.

We don't take advertising. We don't take money from anyone with a stake in what we publish. We're building something independent, and that only works if people who care about independent verification support it directly.

Seen something false?

Seen something false?

Seen something false?

You don't need to build a case. You need two minutes and something to point at. Submit it, we take it from there.

You don't need to build a case. You need two minutes and something to point at. Submit it, we take it from there.

Investigations

About

Legal

Independent. Nonprofit. Being Built For You.

RED DOT, Nonprofit Association (Austria) / ZVR 1811313123 / Nonprofit under Austrian law (§§34ff BAO) / rd@thereddot.org

Independent. Nonprofit. Evidence-Based.

RED DOT – Nonprofit Association (Austria) / ZVR 1811313123 / Nonprofit under Austrian law (§§34ff BAO) / rd@thereddot.org

Investigations

About

Legal

Independent. Nonprofit. Being Built For You.

RED DOT, Nonprofit Association (Austria) / ZVR 1811313123 / Nonprofit under Austrian law (§§34ff BAO) / rd@thereddot.org

Independent. Nonprofit. Evidence-Based.

RED DOT – Nonprofit Association (Austria) / ZVR 1811313123 / Nonprofit under Austrian law (§§34ff BAO) / rd@thereddot.org