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NewsGuard

NewsGuard is an American media watchdog organization. They publish a browser tool which displays their assessment of a media organization’s credibility and transparency.

Criteria

NewsGuard scores organizations on a scale of 0 to 100. Scores below 60 get a red rating, and scores of 60 or higher get a green rating, which means the organization “generally adheres to basic standards of credibility and transparency.”

Credibility

  • Does not repeatedly publish false content (22 points)
  • Gathers and presents information responsibly (18 Points)
  • Regularly corrects or clarifies errors: (12.5 Points)
  • Handles the difference between news and opinion responsibly (12.5 Points)
  • Avoids deceptive headlines (10 Points)

Transparency

  • Website discloses ownership and financing (7.5 Points)
  • Clearly labels advertising (7.5 Points)
  • Reveals who’s in charge, including possible conflicts of interest (5 Points)
  • The site provides the names of content creators, along with either contact or biographical information (5 Points)

Resources

NewsGuard (newsguardtech.com)