About RageCheck

A tool for understanding manipulative framing in media.

What RageCheck Is

RageCheck is a free tool that analyzes online content for linguistic patterns commonly associated with manipulative framing—the kind of language designed to provoke emotional reactions rather than inform.

Modern social platforms reward engagement, and outrage generates more engagement than nuance. This creates incentives for content creators to frame information in emotionally provocative ways, regardless of whether that framing is accurate or fair.

RageCheck helps you see these patterns so you can make more informed decisions about what to believe, share, and engage with.

What RageCheck Is Not

Not a Fact Checker

RageCheck does not verify claims or assess accuracy. A high score means content uses manipulative framing—it doesn't mean the underlying claims are false. Conversely, a low score doesn't mean content is true.

Not a Political Bias Detector

Manipulative framing exists across the political spectrum. RageCheck analyzes linguistic patterns regardless of political orientation. Content from any viewpoint can score high or low depending on how it's framed.

Not an Arbiter of Truth

RageCheck is a tool, not an authority. Use it as one input among many when evaluating content. Your own judgment, multiple sources, and critical thinking remain essential.

Why This Exists

The attention economy has created perverse incentives. Content that makes you angry, afraid, or tribal performs better algorithmically than content that informs or nuances. This isn't a conspiracy—it's basic economics. Outrage is engaging, and engagement is monetizable.

The result is an information environment where even accurate information often comes wrapped in manipulative framing. We're all being nudged toward emotional reactions rather than thoughtful responses.

RageCheck exists to make these patterns visible. When you can see the manipulation, you can choose how to respond to it rather than being unconsciously driven by it.

How to Use It

  1. Paste a URL — Works with articles, social media posts (Twitter/X, Bluesky, Threads, Farcaster), and most web content.
  2. Review the score — Higher scores indicate more manipulative framing. Check which signal categories are most prominent.
  3. Read the highlights — See exactly which phrases triggered detection. Click signal categories to filter.
  4. Consider the context — AI analysis (when available) provides nuance about whether flagged language is manipulative in context.
  5. Decide for yourself — Use this information as one factor in how you engage with and share content.

Privacy

  • We log analyzed URLs and scores for aggregate analytics (no personal data)
  • We don't track individual users or create profiles
  • We don't sell data to third parties
  • Content is fetched server-side—your IP isn't exposed to analyzed sites
  • AI analysis uses Claude by Anthropic; content is processed per their privacy policy

Open Source

RageCheck is open source. You can inspect the code, see exactly how detection works, and suggest improvements.

View on GitHub

Feedback

Found a bug? Have a suggestion? Open an issue on GitHub or reach out via the repository. We're especially interested in false positives/negatives and edge cases that could improve detection accuracy.

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