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)