A new browser extension app called NewsGuard promises to give readers better insight into the credibility of news sites by providing them with a red, yellow or green badge as visitors explore content. All you have to do is install it on your website browser and you will find out how websites are rated based on numerous categories. You will also see a ‘Nutrition Label’ that was developed by NewsGuard’s ‘watchdog SWAT team’ so readers can understand whether or not a site is trustworthy… well, that’s what NewsGuard claims.
This seems similar to Facebook’s attempt to stop ‘fake news’ by working with websites like Snopes who generally use mainstream media stories to ‘debunk’ alternative viewpoints that are presented on independent media websites. Ironically, Snopes has a perfect rating from NewsGuard.
NewsGuard (NewsGuard Technologies) describes themselves as a news rating agency, but if you look closer at their ownership, board of directors, and current ratings of websites, you get a very different picture as to what the purpose of NewsGuard truly is.
According to its website, NewsGuard has already rated more than 2,000 news and information websites. Future plans include further rankings as well as eventually reviewing “the 7,500 most-read news and information websites in the U.S.—about 98 percent of news and information people read and share online” in the United States in English.
Before we delve into the more important details of what’s going on here, let’s ask the big question…
Is Fake News A Problem?
Ship of Fools: How a S…
Best Price: $12.96
Buy New $10.75
(as of 07:50 EST – Details)
As an owner of an independent media website and having been in the field…