not all information is created equal

No information source is 100% reliable. Even the most credible outlets and websites have blind spots. Humans make mistakes, and as media consumer and amplifiers, we are responsible for what we click and what we share. 

These are some of the sites I use to help me contextualize and analyze online information. I hope these help you get closer to ground truth.

And remember:

  • Diversify what you consume – don’t rely on just one source

  • Context matters – nothing happens in a vacuum

  • Cancel clickbait – emotionally charged headlines prioritize funds over facts (be selective with your clicks)

  • Media Bias/Fact Check is among the most comprehensive media bias resources available. They have a published methodology to evaluate factual accuracy and bias of more than 3,600 media websites. Their browser extension makes it easy to evaluate article sources as you read.

  • Sign up for The Flip Side, a daily newsletter that lets you “see both sides of an important issue in 5 minutes a day.” Get out of your ideological bubble and see how a topic is covered from different perspectives.

  • 1440 Daily Digest is an email newsletter that promises to deliver the facts users can use to form their own opinions.

    It’s a quick 5-minute read each day to get a sense of what’s happening in the world sans the clickbait.

  • NewsGuard Technologies evaluates news sites to help viewers and readers distinguish between what is legit journalism and what isn’t. Like Media Bias/Fact Check, NewsGuard also publishes its methodology and criteria. They are more focused on accuracy and reputation than explicit bias.

  • Lawfare is a blog that publishes information related to legal issues and policy related to national security. It is highly regarded as having minimal bias and a high degree of accuracy.

  • Identifying reputable news from hot garbage can be easy but often is more challenging than we realize. The News Literacy Project offers a ton of resources to help people navigate the media landscape so we can be more intentional, informed media consumers.

  • ProPublica does have a slight left-center bias, but they have a high level of accuracy and reputation for evidence-based reporting. ProPublica is another nonprofit investigative journalism newsroom and not focused the hot trending story of the day which distinguishes them from the average media outlet.

  • The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reputable investigative journalism and adhere to strict code of ethical conduct set forth by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). They have their own newsroom and work with global reporters and media organizations.

  • Another nonprofit, the Credibility Coalition is a research community of journalists, researchers, academics, policy-makers, students, and technologists. Their mission is to “develop common standards for information credibility by incubating activities and initiatives that bring together people and institutions from a variety of backgrounds.”

  • Who doesn’t want more accessible peer-reviewed information? PLOS is a nonprofit research publisher that presents an alternative to subscription-based science journals. PLOS ONE is the organization’s peer-reviewed publication.

  • Politics can be especially difficult to navigate in today’s divisive environment. News articles can be helpful. I find GovTrack.us to be an exceptionally useful resource to track governmental actions. It helps contextualize politicians, legislation, and offers users actionable ways to get involved in the process.

  • Pew Research Center is a well respected and nonpartisan research institution. It uses data-driven social science research methods to analyze issues, opinions, and trends about the world and how it’s changing.

  • Fact checkers aim to keep public figures and organizations accountable for their claims. I use a few different fact checking site resources:

    PolitiFact

    Snopes

    FactCheck.org

    Check Your Fact

    It’s worth noting that CYF has a slight right-center bias while the others are considered least-biased, but it has a good accuracy rating.

    Using multiple sources with limited bias is a good way to challenge what you’re seeing as long as you don’t sacrifice accuracy ans credibility.