NewsGuard explained

NewsGuard
Logo Alt:A black monochrome logo consisting of a simple outlined shield and the unspaced words "News" and "Guard"
Logo Size:250px
Developer:NewsGuard Technologies, Inc.
Latest Release Version:Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari:
4.1.1 (Edge)
Latest Release Date:[1]
Platform:Browser extension
Genre:Browser extension
License:Proprietary

NewsGuard is a rating system for news and information websites. It is accessible via browser extensions and mobile apps. It rates news outlets on a scale of 0-100 that considers whether it has transparent finances or publishes many factual errors, among and other journalistic best-practices.[2]

NewsGuard Technologies Inc., the company behind the tool, also provides services such as misinformation tracking and brand safety for advertisers, search engines, social media platforms, cybersecurity firms, and government agencies.[3] [4]

History

NewsGuard Technologies was founded in 2018 by Steven Brill and L. Gordon Crovitz, who serve as co-CEOs.[5] Investors include the Knight Foundation, Publicis, and former Reuters executive Tom Glocer.[6] [7]

In 2018, Joyce Purnick, former bureau chief and editor at The New York Times, and Amy Westfeldt, an editor with the Associated Press for 25 years, joined Newsguard.[8]

In April 2019, the co-founders of NewsGuard announced that they had entered talks with British internet service providers to incorporate their credibility scoring system into consumer internet packages. Under the plans, a user would see a warning message before visiting a misleading site without needing to have the NewsGuard extension installed. Users would also have the ability to disable the feature.[9]

In January 2020, NewsGuard began notifying users that it would become a paid, member-supported browser extension in early 2020, while remaining free for libraries and schools. Early adopters received a 33% discount on the price, paying $1.95/month (USD) or £1.95/month (UK). They plan to roll out new premium features, including a reliability score, and offer new mobile apps for Android and iOS.[10]

Company structure

NewsGuard is based in New York City. NewsGuard raised $6 million from investors in 2018.[11]

Its advisors include former officials such as Tom Ridge, former homeland security secretary, Richard Stengel, former undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, Michael Hayden, former CIA director general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former NATO chief, as well as Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.

Products and services

As of 2019, the company employed 35 journalists to review over 2,000 news sites. Ratings are broken down in terms of reliability, trustworthiness, and financial conflict of interest. This and additional information is then displayed in the form of a "Nutrition Label" by the NewsGuard browser extension whenever a user visits a news site. Sites that pass are shown with a green icon next to their name. Those with low scores are shown with a red icon. Research has shown that readers who see the green icon find the corresponding news site more accurate and trustworthy compared to those who see no icon or a red icon.[12] [13]

Brill positions the extension as an alternative to government regulation and automated algorithms, such as those used by Facebook. NewsGuard attempts to advise sites that it labels as unreliable on how to come into compliance with its rating criteria.[14]

Supported systems

NewsGuard operates a consumer-facing browser extension[15] and mobile apps for iOS and Android.[16] Supported browsers for the browser extension include Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Safari. It is included by default in the mobile version of Edge, though users must enable it.

Business model and reach

For revenue, NewsGuard Technologies licenses their ratings. Clients include technology companies and the advertising industry, who view the ratings as a way to protect clients against advertising on sites that could harm their brand.[6] It also contracts with the United States Department of Defense.[17] [18]

NewsGuard expanded its coverage to news in European languages such as French and German ahead of the 2019 European Parliament election.[19] [20]

As of January 2021, NewsGuard says it has rated more than 6,000 news sites that account for 95% of online engagement with news in the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany and Italy.[21]

In January of 2022, the company said it was profitable, having doubled its revenue over the last year. NewsGuard raised $6 million from investors in 2018.

Since 2022, the company has partnered the American Federation of Teachers so that many classrooms and libraries in the United States have the NewsGuard browser extension installed on their computers, potentially reaching millions of users.[22] The move has received criticism from conservatives.[23]

In June 2024, the United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability launched a probe into NewsGuard, citing possible first amendment violations in regards to the "influence of NewsGuard's business relationships and other influences on its ratings process", and in particular the company's partnerships with federal agencies.[24] NewsGuard says that its partnership with the Pentagon is solely around countering disinformation by countries like China, Russia and Iran.

Ratings

CEO Gordon Crovitz argued that "Under NewsGuard’s apolitical rating system, many conservative outlets outscore similar left-leaning brands: The Daily Caller outscores The Daily Beast, the Daily Wire outscores the Daily Kos, Fox News outscores MSNBC and The Wall Street Journal outscores the New York Times."

Sites that had previously ignored the extension, such as MailOnline, objected to being listed as unreliable.[25] The decision to list MailOnline as unreliable was reversed, and NewsGuard admitted they were wrong on some counts.[26]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NewsGuard for Microsoft Edge. NewsGuard Technologies. Microsoft Store. 2022-04-14. April 14, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220414203822/https://microsoftedge.microsoft.com/addons/detail/newsguard/cgooaaonimepbcidkhgmanahfbinpjdm. live.
  2. Web site: Fortinsky . Sarah . 2024-06-13 . James Comer investigating news-rating group NewsGuard . 2024-08-08 . The Hill . en-US.
  3. Web site: Mayhew. Freddy. 2019-10-29. News websites rated 'red' by Newsguard could miss out on ad money after agency deal. 2021-02-16. Press Gazette. en-US. January 26, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210126215353/https://pressgazette.co.uk/news-websites-rated-red-by-newsguard-could-miss-out-on-ad-money-after-agency-deal/. live.
  4. Web site: NSIN Post NSIN #52Weeks: Countering Disinformation. 2021-02-16. UNUM. en. November 29, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201129005834/https://innovatedefense.net/nsin/customObject/viewCustomObject/ba2a2be0e2af. dead.
  5. News: This start-up wants to evaluate your news sources. Stelter. Brian. Brian Stelter. CNN Business. March 4, 2018. January 23, 2019. June 11, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200611184201/https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/04/media/newsguard-steven-brill-gordon-crovitz/index.html. live.
  6. News: Lee. Edmund. Veterans of the News Business Are Now Fighting Fakes. The New York Times. January 16, 2019. January 23, 2019. May 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200517033803/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/16/business/media/media-steve-brill-fake-news.html. live.
  7. News: Li. Kenneth. NewsGuard's 'real news' seal of approval helps spark change in fake news era. Reuters. February 1, 2019. November 13, 2019. April 27, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190427053405/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-media-newsguard/newsguards-real-news-seal-of-approval-helps-spark-change-in-fake-news-era-idUSKCN1PQ5FV. live.
  8. News: Calderone . Michael . Fox-run state? — Harper's editor fired — NewsGuard expands — Tampa Bay Times cuts — Katy Perry wants WaPo . Politico . 2018-04-19.
  9. News: Waterson . Jim . 2019-04-24 . Untrustworthy news sites could be flagged automatically in UK . en-GB . The Guardian . 2019-12-31 . 0261-3077 . July 3, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240703131308/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/apr/24/untrustworthy-news-sites-could-be-flagged-automatically-in-uk . live .
  10. Web site: Mayhew . Freddy . 2020-01-09 . News website rating tool Newsguard to start charging for service . 2020-01-21 . Press Gazette . en-US . January 9, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200109182944/https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/news-website-rating-tool-newsguard-start-charging-service-paid-membership/ . live .
  11. Web site: Stelter . Brian . 2022-01-16 . A startup that rates the reliability of news sources says it’s making a profit CNN Business . 2024-08-08 . CNN . en.
  12. Web site: Lapowski . Issie . August 23, 2018 . NewsGuard Wants to Fight Fake News With Humans, Not Algorithms . January 23, 2019 . . April 3, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190403185552/https://www.wired.com/story/newsguard-extension-fake-news-trust-score/ . live .
  13. News: Morgan . David . March 5, 2018 . New venture aims to combat "fake news" on social media with warning labels . . January 23, 2019 . January 24, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190124041525/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-venture-will-help-combat-fake-news-on-social-media-with-warning-labels/ . live .
  14. News: Atkinson . Claire . August 24, 2018 . NewsGuard gives Fox News a thumbs up, Breitbart a thumbs down . . January 23, 2019 . January 24, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190124104826/https://www.nbcnews.com/card/newsguard-gives-fox-news-thumbs-breitbart-thumbs-down-n903726 . live .
  15. Web site: Perlow . Jason . March 24, 2020 . NewsGuard drops its paywall to combat coronavirus misinformation . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201126210224/https://www.zdnet.com/article/newsguard-drops-its-paywall-to-combat-coronavirus-information/ . November 26, 2020 . 2021-02-16 . ZDNet . en.
  16. Web site: Perlow . Jason . May 14, 2020 . NewsGuard becomes free for all Microsoft Edge users . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210121025442/https://www.zdnet.com/article/newsguard-becomes-free-for-all-microsoft-edge-users/ . January 21, 2021 . 2021-02-16 . ZDNet . en.
  17. Web site: Contract to NewsGuard Technologies, Inc. USASpending.gov. August 10, 2023. August 16, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230816161131/https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_FA864921P1569_9700_-NONE-_-NONE-. live.
  18. Web site: June 9, 2022 . Newsguard Technologies Contracts (DoD) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231203171618/https://www.muckrock.com/foi/united-states-of-america-10/newsguard-technologies-contracts-dod-129862/ . December 3, 2023 . August 10, 2023 . MuckRock.
  19. Web site: Maurer . Jacob . 22 February 2019 . A certifier for media credibility? . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190306044440/https://www.sueddeutsche.de/medien/newsguard-fake-news-medienkompetenz-1.4336597 . March 6, 2019 . 2019-03-02 . Süddeutsche Zeitung.
  20. Web site: June 6, 2019. NewsGuard's "news trust" ratings rolled out to Europe. live. https://archive.today/20190906105932/https://en.ejo.ch/ethics-quality/newsguards-news-trust-ratings-rolled-out-to-europe. September 6, 2019. European Journalism Observatory. en.
  21. Web site: Startups battle the spread of fake news during the pandemic PitchBook. 2021-02-16. pitchbook.com. en. September 22, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200922142247/https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/how-startups-are-battling-the-spread-of-fake-news-during-the-pandemic. live.
  22. Web site: AFT Partners with NewsGuard to Combat Misinformation Online . 2022-01-25 . American Federation of Teachers . October 20, 2023 . September 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230924184055/https://www.aft.org/press-release/aft-partners-newsguard-combat-misinformation-online . live .
  23. Web site: NewsGuard: AFT's Shiny New Indoctrination Tool . Capital Research Center.
  24. Web site: Masnick . Mike . 2024-07-03 . GOP Really Committed To The Bit That Speech They Don't Like Is Censorship . 2024-07-07 . . en-US.
  25. News: . 2019-01-23 . Daily Mail demands browser warning U-turn . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190123164756/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-46976834 . January 23, 2019 . 2019-01-23 . BBC News.
  26. News: Walker. James. We were wrong': US news rating tool boosts Mail Online trust ranking after talks with unnamed Daily Mail exec. Press Gazette. 17 January 2020. February 12, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190212062704/https://pressgazette.co.uk/we-were-wrong-us-news-rating-tool-boosts-mail-online-trust-ranking-after-talks-with-unnamed-daily-mail-exec/. live.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "NewsGuard".

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