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== Purpose and use ==
== Purpose and use ==
The site classifies media sources on a political bias spectrum, as well as on the accuracy of their factual reporting. ''Media Bias/Fact Check'' describes itself as "the most comprehensive media bias resource on the internet" and they list over 2500 media organisations on their web site.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/ |title=Media Bias/Fact Check main page |website=Media Bias/Fact Check |language=en-US |access-date=2018-12-02}}</ref> The site is run by founder and editor Dave Van Zant,<ref name="MBFC FAQ" /> but includes contributions by a team of about a dozen other writers, contributors, and researchers.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/about/ |title=About - Media Bias/Fact Check |website=Media Bias/Fact Check |language=en-US |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref>{{self published inline|date=December 2018}}
The site classifies media sources on a political bias spectrum, as well as on the accuracy of their factual reporting. ''Media Bias/Fact Check'' describes itself as "the most comprehensive media bias resource on the internet" and they list over 2500 media organisations on their web site.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/ |title=Media Bias/Fact Check main page |website=Media Bias/Fact Check |language=en-US |access-date=2018-12-02}}</ref> The site is run by founder and editor Dave Van Zant.<ref name="MBFC FAQ" />


Numerous media organisations have praised the site's utility in highlighting '[[fake news]]' and other questionable sources, as well as enabling readers to more easily do their own fact checking.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/vicki-cobb/how-to-be-your-own-fact-c_b_14522050.html |title=How to Be Your Own Fact Checker |last=Cobb |first=Vicki |date=2017-01-31 |website=Huffington Post |language=en-US |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.stardem.com/spotlight/media-bias-fact-checking-and-the-echo-chamber/article_4ab1235d-c1ee-5870-91bb-0bb1d73ce8a5.html |title=Media bias, fact checking and the echo chamber |last=Griep |first=John |website=The Star Democrat |language=en |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref> Based on the ratings by ''Media Bias/Fact Check'', there are [[Firefox]][https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check-icon/] and [[Google Chrome|Chrome]][https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/official-media-biasfact-c/ganicjnkcddicfioohdaegodjodcbkkh?hl=en] browser extensions that highlight the reliability and bias of sources when visiting those sites.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/fm/fm-fox/2018-05-24-how-to-spot-fake-news/ |title=How to spot fake news |language=en-US |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref> The site's ratings are also widely used by media sources when discussing the reliability and bias of other media organisations.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/inside-the-study-showing-conservatives-retweeted-russian-trolls-30-times-more-often-than-liberals |title=Inside the study showing conservatives retweeted Russian trolls 30 times more often than liberals |website=PBS NewsHour |language=en-US |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-43745629 |title=The online activists pushing Syria conspiracy theories |date=2018-04-19 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/martinrivers/2018/04/30/kremlin-run-news-agency-hints-at-political-motive-for-air-belgium-delay/ |title=Kremlin-Run News Agency Hints At Political Motive For Air Belgium Delay |last=Rivers |first=Martin |website=Forbes |language=en |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/the-bulletin/18-06-2018/the-bulletin-police-to-reopen-pike-river-case/ |title=The Bulletin: Police to reopen Pike River case? |date=2018-06-18 |website=The Spinoff |language=en-US |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://finance.sina.com.cn/stock/usstock/c/2017-07-03/doc-ifyhrxsk1647627.shtml |title=特朗普为何如此High：探寻CNN撤稿事件背后的故事 |website=finance.sina.com.cn |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-main-alt-right-audience-20170822-story.html |title=What's the alt-right, and how large is its audience? |last=Main |first=Thomas J. |website=latimes.com |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newsweek.com/trump-interested-seth-rich-conspiracy-new-report-says-693417 |title=Trump wants to know all about the Seth Rich conspiracy, a new report claims |date=2017-10-26 |website=Newsweek |language=en |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://theconversation.com/unlike-in-2016-there-was-no-spike-in-misinformation-this-election-cycle-105946 |title=Unlike in 2016, there was no spike in misinformation this election cycle |last=Resnick |first=Paul |website=The Conversation |language=en |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newsweek.com/washington-examiner-twitter-says-trump-going-hell-1200950 |title=Washington Examiner tweets that Trump is "going to hell" |date=2018-11-05 |website=Newsweek |language=en |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref>
Numerous media organisations have praised the site's utility in highlighting '[[fake news]]' and other questionable sources, as well as enabling readers to more easily do their own fact checking.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/vicki-cobb/how-to-be-your-own-fact-c_b_14522050.html |title=How to Be Your Own Fact Checker |last=Cobb |first=Vicki |date=2017-01-31 |website=Huffington Post |language=en-US |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.stardem.com/spotlight/media-bias-fact-checking-and-the-echo-chamber/article_4ab1235d-c1ee-5870-91bb-0bb1d73ce8a5.html |title=Media bias, fact checking and the echo chamber |last=Griep |first=John |website=The Star Democrat |language=en |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref> Based on the ratings by ''Media Bias/Fact Check'', there are [[Firefox]][https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check-icon/] and [[Google Chrome|Chrome]][https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/official-media-biasfact-c/ganicjnkcddicfioohdaegodjodcbkkh?hl=en] browser extensions that highlight the reliability and bias of sources when visiting those sites.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/fm/fm-fox/2018-05-24-how-to-spot-fake-news/ |title=How to spot fake news |language=en-US |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref> The site's ratings are also widely used by media sources when discussing the reliability and bias of other media organisations.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/inside-the-study-showing-conservatives-retweeted-russian-trolls-30-times-more-often-than-liberals |title=Inside the study showing conservatives retweeted Russian trolls 30 times more often than liberals |website=PBS NewsHour |language=en-US |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-43745629 |title=The online activists pushing Syria conspiracy theories |date=2018-04-19 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/martinrivers/2018/04/30/kremlin-run-news-agency-hints-at-political-motive-for-air-belgium-delay/ |title=Kremlin-Run News Agency Hints At Political Motive For Air Belgium Delay |last=Rivers |first=Martin |website=Forbes |language=en |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/the-bulletin/18-06-2018/the-bulletin-police-to-reopen-pike-river-case/ |title=The Bulletin: Police to reopen Pike River case? |date=2018-06-18 |website=The Spinoff |language=en-US |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://finance.sina.com.cn/stock/usstock/c/2017-07-03/doc-ifyhrxsk1647627.shtml |title=特朗普为何如此High：探寻CNN撤稿事件背后的故事 |website=finance.sina.com.cn |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-main-alt-right-audience-20170822-story.html |title=What's the alt-right, and how large is its audience? |last=Main |first=Thomas J. |website=latimes.com |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newsweek.com/trump-interested-seth-rich-conspiracy-new-report-says-693417 |title=Trump wants to know all about the Seth Rich conspiracy, a new report claims |date=2017-10-26 |website=Newsweek |language=en |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://theconversation.com/unlike-in-2016-there-was-no-spike-in-misinformation-this-election-cycle-105946 |title=Unlike in 2016, there was no spike in misinformation this election cycle |last=Resnick |first=Paul |website=The Conversation |language=en |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newsweek.com/washington-examiner-twitter-says-trump-going-hell-1200950 |title=Washington Examiner tweets that Trump is "going to hell" |date=2018-11-05 |website=Newsweek |language=en |access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref>

Revision as of 16:12, 3 December 2018

Media Bias/Fact Check
File:Media Bias Fact Check.png
OwnerDave Van Zant[1]
URLmediabiasfactcheck.com

Media Bias/Fact Check is a fact-checking organisation and web site that reviews news and media organisations.[2]

Purpose and use

The site classifies media sources on a political bias spectrum, as well as on the accuracy of their factual reporting. Media Bias/Fact Check describes itself as "the most comprehensive media bias resource on the internet" and they list over 2500 media organisations on their web site.[3] The site is run by founder and editor Dave Van Zant.[1]

Numerous media organisations have praised the site's utility in highlighting 'fake news' and other questionable sources, as well as enabling readers to more easily do their own fact checking.[4][5] Based on the ratings by Media Bias/Fact Check, there are Firefox[1] and Chrome[2] browser extensions that highlight the reliability and bias of sources when visiting those sites.[6] The site's ratings are also widely used by media sources when discussing the reliability and bias of other media organisations.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]

Data from the site has been used by researchers from MIT and the Qatar Computing Research Institute to train an artificial intelligence machine learning algorithm to identify 'fake news'.[16][17][18] The site has also been used by researchers at the University of Michigan to create a tool called the "Iffy Quotient", which draws data from Media Bias/Fact Check and NewsWhip to track the prevalence of 'fake news' and questionable sources on social media.[19][20][21]

Classifications and Methodology

Media Bias/Fact Check is open about the methodology and scoring structure that they use to classify sources, describing it in-depth on their web-site.[22] Media Bias/Fact Check uses a rating system based on a political spectrum with the ratings for bias as 'extreme left', 'left bias', 'left-center bias', 'least biased', 'right-center bias', 'right bias', and 'extreme right'. For sources that don't fit on the political bias spectrum, the site also uses ratings such as 'pro-science', 'conspiracy/psuedoscience', and 'satire'. Each media source is also rated by the accuracy of their reporting, on a scale including 'very high', 'high', 'mixed', 'low', and 'very low'.[22]

Media Bias/Fact Check states that they adhere to the International Fact-Checking Network Fact-checkers’ Code of Principles.[22]

Criticism

James D Agresti, writing for Just Facts Daily criticised Media Bias/Fact Check for what he considered an inaccurate review of the sister site Just Facts. Media Bias/Fact Check apologised for the original review, saying that "The [original] reviewer clearly zeroed in on one issue and did not look at the big picture"; later stating that the original reviewer is no longer affiliated with their organisation.[23] Just Facts was re-classified as 'least-biased' with a 'high' factual reporting score, although this was later changed to 'right-center bias'.[24] Just Facts Daily holds a similar rating, but is listed separately.[23]

Media Bias/Fact Check was also criticised by World Net Daily (WND), who questioned the qualifications and expertise of the founder and reviewers for the site and listed them with 8 other online fact-checking sources that they called "The 9 fakest fake-news checkers". Media Bias/Fact Check responded, saying that they were "thrilled to be included with Politifact, Snopes, FactCheck.org, and the International Fact-Checking Network (Poynter Institute). These are the best and most credible fact checkers in the business."; adding that WND had contacted Media Bias/Fact Check to complain about their 'far right bias' rating days before the story was posted.[25] The Washington Post also describes WND's political lean as alt-right or far-right.[26][27][28][29], a view shared by Michael Massing of the Columbia Journalism Review.[30]

References

  1. ^ a b "Frequently Asked Questions - Media Bias/Fact Check". Media Bias/Fact Check. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  2. ^ "About - Media Bias/Fact Check". Media Bias/Fact Check. Retrieved 2018-12-02.
  3. ^ "Media Bias/Fact Check main page". Media Bias/Fact Check. Retrieved 2018-12-02.
  4. ^ Cobb, Vicki (2017-01-31). "How to Be Your Own Fact Checker". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  5. ^ Griep, John. "Media bias, fact checking and the echo chamber". The Star Democrat. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  6. ^ "How to spot fake news". Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  7. ^ "Inside the study showing conservatives retweeted Russian trolls 30 times more often than liberals". PBS NewsHour. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  8. ^ "The online activists pushing Syria conspiracy theories". BBC News. 2018-04-19. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  9. ^ Rivers, Martin. "Kremlin-Run News Agency Hints At Political Motive For Air Belgium Delay". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  10. ^ "The Bulletin: Police to reopen Pike River case?". The Spinoff. 2018-06-18. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  11. ^ "特朗普为何如此High：探寻CNN撤稿事件背后的故事". finance.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  12. ^ Main, Thomas J. "What's the alt-right, and how large is its audience?". latimes.com. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  13. ^ "Trump wants to know all about the Seth Rich conspiracy, a new report claims". Newsweek. 2017-10-26. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  14. ^ Resnick, Paul. "Unlike in 2016, there was no spike in misinformation this election cycle". The Conversation. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  15. ^ "Washington Examiner tweets that Trump is "going to hell"". Newsweek. 2018-11-05. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  16. ^ "AI as Fact Checker: Algorithm Identifies Fake News - Geek.com". Geek.com. 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  17. ^ "MIT and Qatari scientists are training computers to detect fake news sites". Fast Company. 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  18. ^ "This AI can help spot biased websites and false news". Popular Science. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  19. ^ "Novel tool to monitor fake news on Facebook, Twitter". The Economic Times. 2018-10-28. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  20. ^ Resnick, Paul (2018-11-07). "US midterm polls: Thanks to FB, no spike in misinformation unlike in 2016". Business Standard India. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  21. ^ "U-M Tracker Measures Reliability of News on Facebook, Twitter -- Campus Technology". Campus Technology. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  22. ^ a b c "Methodology - Media Bias/Fact Check". Media Bias/Fact Check. Retrieved 2018-12-02.
  23. ^ a b "Just Facts Daily - Media Bias/Fact Check". Media Bias/Fact Check. Retrieved 2018-12-02.
  24. ^ "Just Facts - Media Bias/Fact Check". Media Bias/Fact Check. Retrieved 2018-12-02.
  25. ^ "Media Bias/Fact Check Makes WND's Fakest Fact Checkers List - Media Bias/Fact Check". Media Bias/Fact Check. 2017-02-20. Retrieved 2018-12-02.
  26. ^ "Introducing the 'alt-left': The GOP's response to its alt-right problem". Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-05-26.
  27. ^ Bruno, Debra; Bruno, Debra (February 21, 2016). "There's the major media. And then there's the 'other' White House press corps" – via washingtonpost.com. Les Kinsolving, a reporter for the far-right World Net Daily, was a familiar White House gadfly from the days of the Nixon administration on. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  28. ^ "The highly reliable, definitely-not-crazy places where Donald Trump gets his news". Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-05-26. WND is a leader in preserving murder cover-up theories, publishing 'exclusive reports' linking the Clintons to a plot to kill their longtime friend. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  29. ^ Posner, Sarah; Posner, Sarah (2017-03-09). "Want to know what 'deconstruction of the administrative state' looks like? Look at Trump's staffing". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2017-05-26. One of them is Curtis Ellis, a columnist for the far-right site WorldNetDaily, and now a special assistant to the secretary at the Labor Department. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  30. ^ Massing, Michael. "Un-American". Columbia Journalism Review. Far-right Web sites like World Net Daily and Newsmax.com floated all kinds of specious stories about Obama that quickly careened around the blogosphere and onto talk radio. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
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