ShortFact™ is an AI-powered mobile app for Android and iOS that analyzes viral videos from TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts to identify false claims and deliver verified results in under 30 seconds.
What is ShortFact?
ShortFact is a fact-checking mobile application that processes viral video links — submitted via share sheet — and extracts factual claims from both audio and video frames. It cross-references those claims against trusted web sources (e.g., IAEA, Britannica, Wikipedia, Reuters) and returns a verdict, a detailed analysis, source reliability scores, creator credibility ratings, and bias detection. The app is developed by an unnamed team and is available on the Google Play Store for Android, with an iOS waitlist offering 10 bonus credits on launch.
Key Features
- 30-second verdicts — The entire analysis pipeline (share, extraction, fact-checking, result) completes in under 30 seconds for each video.
- Multi-platform input — Accepts links from TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts directly via the system share menu.
- Source transparency — Each verdict displays up to five cited sources with reliability ratings (LOW, MODERATE, HIGH), and users can tap any source to view the full citation.
- Creator scoring — Each content creator receives a numeric score (0–100) based on historical accuracy, shown alongside every result.
- Bias & context analysis — The verdict includes a separate section flagging commercial, political, or ideological bias and noting missing context where relevant.
- Freemium credit model — New iOS waitlist signups get 10 bonus credits; Android users can download and start fact-checking immediately with a free tier.
Who is it for?
- Social media users — Anyone who wants to verify a viral video before sharing it with friends or followers.
- Journalists and content creators — Reporters and social media managers who need fast context on trending clips without manually cross-referencing multiple news sites.
- Educators and students — Teachers assigning media-literacy exercises or students researching the accuracy of popular science, history, or current-events videos.
What can you do with ShortFact?
- Verify science claims in viral physics videos — For example, the app confirms that Cherenkov radiation explanations (particles exceeding light speed in water) are accurate, citing the IAEA and Britannica.
- Check emergency-event videos for accuracy — A video claiming a gas-line explosion in Castaic, CA, was verified as a high-pressure rupture without ignition, with links to the LA Times.
- Detect misleading marketing stunts — The app flagged a “$3 billion company giveaway” challenge as missing context, revealing the prize was actually a $100,000 subsidiary, and that the CEO image was AI-generated.
How does ShortFact work?
- Share — Tap the share button on any TikTok, Instagram Reel, or YouTube Short and select ShortFact from the share sheet.
- Extraction — The app analyzes audio and video frames to identify key factual claims and algorithmic amplification signals.
- Fact-checking — Claims are cross-referenced against trusted web sources; the system grounds each verdict in verified information.
- Result — A complete verdict displays reasoning, source reliability, creator scores, bias analysis, and key findings.
FAQ
Is ShortFact free?
ShortFact operates on a freemium model. Android users can download and use the app with a free tier; iOS users can join the waitlist to receive 10 bonus credits upon launch day.
Which platforms does ShortFact support?
ShortFact currently supports TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. It is available on Android via the Google Play Store, with an iOS launch upcoming.
