Matt Skibinski (NewsGuard)
@mattskibinski.bsky.social
COO at NewsGuard - rating news source reliability, tracking false claims and misinformation, and safeguarding AI - https://newsguardtech.com
Reporting about misinformation can often feel abstract and almost academic. But this story by our team @newsguard.bsky.social is a great reminder that there are often real people impacted by false claims that spread online. www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/it-was-ter...
'It was Terrifying,' Student Misidentified as FSU Shooter Tells NewsGuard
PLUS: Kremlin Targets Moldova’s Pro-Europe President; Milwaukee Judge Smeared with AI Mugshots
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
May 2, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Reporting about misinformation can often feel abstract and almost academic. But this story by our team @newsguard.bsky.social is a great reminder that there are often real people impacted by false claims that spread online. www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/it-was-ter...
The latest from our team @newsguard.bsky.social: Elon Musk’s false claims get 825.2 million views on X
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/musks-28-f...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/musks-28-f...
Elon Musk’s 28 False Claims Get 825.2 Million Views
From $50 million taxpayer dollars for condoms in Gaza to a 40% pay increase for Congress, Musk is correct that some of his claims are “incorrect”
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
February 18, 2025 at 8:29 PM
The latest from our team @newsguard.bsky.social: Elon Musk’s false claims get 825.2 million views on X
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/musks-28-f...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/musks-28-f...
For all the hype about DeepSeek, a NewsGuard audit found that the chatbot failed to provide accurate information in response to news prompts 83.33% of the time—and often repeated misinformation to users: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/deepseek-d...
DeepSeek Debuts with 83 Percent ‘Fail Rate’ in NewsGuard’s Chatbot Red Team Audit
The new Chinese AI tool finished 10th out of 11 industry players
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
January 29, 2025 at 3:55 PM
For all the hype about DeepSeek, a NewsGuard audit found that the chatbot failed to provide accurate information in response to news prompts 83.33% of the time—and often repeated misinformation to users: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/deepseek-d...
Reposted by Matt Skibinski (NewsGuard)
Pro-Kremlin sources are citing a fabricated video claiming that eight Ukrainian military officials owned mansions in Southern California that were lost in the wildfires.
Read more in Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/154910460/...
Read more in Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/154910460/...
Wild Claims About L.A. Wildfires Get Millions of Views
NewsGuard has identified and debunked 18 false claims related to the wildfires
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
January 16, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Pro-Kremlin sources are citing a fabricated video claiming that eight Ukrainian military officials owned mansions in Southern California that were lost in the wildfires.
Read more in Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/154910460/...
Read more in Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/154910460/...
You've probably never heard of John Mark Dougan, but our team at @newsguard.bsky.social has linked him to no fewer than 32 disinformation narratives and 171 websites masquerading as local news outlets this year.
That's why our team named him our "2024 Disinformer of the Year."
That's why our team named him our "2024 Disinformer of the Year."
NewsGuard’s 2024 Disinformer of the Year: John Mark Dougan
Read about his malign influence campaigns in today’s Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/154090463/...
Read about his malign influence campaigns in today’s Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/154090463/...
NewsGuard’s 2024 Disinformer of the Year: John Mark Dougan
Welcome to Reality Check, your inside look at how misinformation online is undermining trust — and who’s behind it.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
January 10, 2025 at 2:52 PM
You've probably never heard of John Mark Dougan, but our team at @newsguard.bsky.social has linked him to no fewer than 32 disinformation narratives and 171 websites masquerading as local news outlets this year.
That's why our team named him our "2024 Disinformer of the Year."
That's why our team named him our "2024 Disinformer of the Year."
"Newsmax and OANN have the right to criticize NewsGuard, and they exercise that right vehemently," writes @newsguard.bsky.social Co-CEO Steven Brill. "What they should not be able to do is enlist our government to help them."
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
Opinion | Trump’s FCC and FTC Chairs Say I Run a Censorship ‘Cartel.’ Here’s the Truth.
Journalists should be accountable to readers — not government censors.
www.politico.com
January 6, 2025 at 1:47 PM
"Newsmax and OANN have the right to criticize NewsGuard, and they exercise that right vehemently," writes @newsguard.bsky.social Co-CEO Steven Brill. "What they should not be able to do is enlist our government to help them."
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
"Journalists should always be prepared and eager to defend their work to their reader," writes Steve Brill, Co-CEO of @newsguard.bsky.social. "But not to the government. Not in America."
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
Opinion | Trump’s FCC and FTC Chairs Say I Run a Censorship ‘Cartel.’ Here’s the Truth.
Journalists should be accountable to readers — not government censors.
www.politico.com
January 5, 2025 at 11:11 PM
"Journalists should always be prepared and eager to defend their work to their reader," writes Steve Brill, Co-CEO of @newsguard.bsky.social. "But not to the government. Not in America."
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
Reposted by Matt Skibinski (NewsGuard)
NewsGuard, backed by legal experts, argues that Carr’s letter may violate the First Amendment by threatening the speech rights of private companies.
“The only attempt to censor going on here is by Brendan Carr,” Crovitz said in an interview.
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
“The only attempt to censor going on here is by Brendan Carr,” Crovitz said in an interview.
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
This company rates news sites’ credibility. The right wants it stopped.
NewsGuard, which prizes its nonpartisan criteria, has become a prime target of the GOP’s battle against disinformation watchdogs.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 24, 2024 at 4:25 PM
NewsGuard, backed by legal experts, argues that Carr’s letter may violate the First Amendment by threatening the speech rights of private companies.
“The only attempt to censor going on here is by Brendan Carr,” Crovitz said in an interview.
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
“The only attempt to censor going on here is by Brendan Carr,” Crovitz said in an interview.
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Newsmax has been telling anyone who will listen that it is the victim of a widespread advertising boycott against conservatives. But its investor materials tell a different story, boasting of 228% revenue growth as "Top Advertisers Turn to Newsmax."
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/commentary...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/commentary...
Commentary: Newsmax misleads incoming Trump regulators, claiming ad boycott while investor pitch boasts of 228% ad sales growth from top brands
Welcome to Reality Check, your inside look at how misinformation online is undermining trust — and who’s behind it.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
December 12, 2024 at 8:07 PM
Newsmax has been telling anyone who will listen that it is the victim of a widespread advertising boycott against conservatives. But its investor materials tell a different story, boasting of 228% revenue growth as "Top Advertisers Turn to Newsmax."
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/commentary...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/commentary...
Reposted by Matt Skibinski (NewsGuard)
Conservative social media users are sharing a doctored press release to claim that Donald Trump and RFK Jr. ordered the arrest of a Dallas woman whom conspiracy theorists connect to the 1963 assassination of JFK.
Read it in Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/152839852/...
Read it in Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/152839852/...
December 10, 2024 at 2:24 PM
Conservative social media users are sharing a doctored press release to claim that Donald Trump and RFK Jr. ordered the arrest of a Dallas woman whom conspiracy theorists connect to the 1963 assassination of JFK.
Read it in Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/152839852/...
Read it in Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/152839852/...
Reposted by Matt Skibinski (NewsGuard)
A new @issueonereform.bsky.social report using NewsGuard data reveals that foreign adversaries spread 160+ false narratives during the 2024 U.S. election. Russia, Iran & China played key roles, with false election-related stories spiking before Election Day.
Read it: issueone.org/articles/flo...
Read it: issueone.org/articles/flo...
Flooding the Gap - Issue One
Jamie Neikrie and Liana Keesing authored this report. Michael Beckel, Angelina Clapp, Alix Fraser, Abigail Gaetz, Oliver Ni, and Claire Woodall contributed to this report.
issueone.org
December 6, 2024 at 9:57 PM
A new @issueonereform.bsky.social report using NewsGuard data reveals that foreign adversaries spread 160+ false narratives during the 2024 U.S. election. Russia, Iran & China played key roles, with false election-related stories spiking before Election Day.
Read it: issueone.org/articles/flo...
Read it: issueone.org/articles/flo...
Reposted by Matt Skibinski (NewsGuard)
🔹Multiple Chatbots Lacked Information on U.S. Presidential Election Results🔹
NewsGuard's November AI Misinformation Monitor examines the top 10 chatbots, including xAI's Grok and Google's Gemini.
Read our full report here: www.newsguardtech.com/special-repo...
NewsGuard's November AI Misinformation Monitor examines the top 10 chatbots, including xAI's Grok and Google's Gemini.
Read our full report here: www.newsguardtech.com/special-repo...
November 2024 AI Misinformation Monitor of Leading AI Chatbots - NewsGuard
NewsGuard’s journalists spent 2023 rating and updating ratings for more than 35,000 news and information sources accounting for more than 95% of online engagement with news, cataloging more than 1,800...
www.newsguardtech.com
December 5, 2024 at 5:20 PM
🔹Multiple Chatbots Lacked Information on U.S. Presidential Election Results🔹
NewsGuard's November AI Misinformation Monitor examines the top 10 chatbots, including xAI's Grok and Google's Gemini.
Read our full report here: www.newsguardtech.com/special-repo...
NewsGuard's November AI Misinformation Monitor examines the top 10 chatbots, including xAI's Grok and Google's Gemini.
Read our full report here: www.newsguardtech.com/special-repo...
Reposted by Matt Skibinski (NewsGuard)
Liberals falsely claim Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship would strip his son Barron of citizenship, citing the fact that Barron’s mother, Melania, was not a U.S. citizen at the time of his birth.
Read about it in Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/152521917/...
Read about it in Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/152521917/...
December 4, 2024 at 5:37 PM
Liberals falsely claim Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship would strip his son Barron of citizenship, citing the fact that Barron’s mother, Melania, was not a U.S. citizen at the time of his birth.
Read about it in Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/152521917/...
Read about it in Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/152521917/...
Ski trip to Zelensky Mountain?
Yet another Russian disinfo claim alleging lavish purchases by Zelensky--the implication being that Western aid money is paying for such luxuries. Great coverage of this and more from my @newsguard.bsky.social colleagues: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/no-donald-...
Yet another Russian disinfo claim alleging lavish purchases by Zelensky--the implication being that Western aid money is paying for such luxuries. Great coverage of this and more from my @newsguard.bsky.social colleagues: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/no-donald-...
December 4, 2024 at 5:36 PM
Ski trip to Zelensky Mountain?
Yet another Russian disinfo claim alleging lavish purchases by Zelensky--the implication being that Western aid money is paying for such luxuries. Great coverage of this and more from my @newsguard.bsky.social colleagues: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/no-donald-...
Yet another Russian disinfo claim alleging lavish purchases by Zelensky--the implication being that Western aid money is paying for such luxuries. Great coverage of this and more from my @newsguard.bsky.social colleagues: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/no-donald-...
Reposted by Matt Skibinski (NewsGuard)
I agree with @reason.com. @newsguard.bsky.social is a really thorough and fair service. I AM a person concerned with false claims of "disinformation", but Newsguard is the cure, not the disease. In fact I dedicated today's spiel to the topic open.spotify.com/episode/4Jzb...
Incoming FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's beef with NewsGuard is legally dubious and empirically shaky
Brendan Carr, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to chair the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), wants to "dismantle" what he calls "the censorship
reason.com
November 26, 2024 at 10:40 PM
I agree with @reason.com. @newsguard.bsky.social is a really thorough and fair service. I AM a person concerned with false claims of "disinformation", but Newsguard is the cure, not the disease. In fact I dedicated today's spiel to the topic open.spotify.com/episode/4Jzb...
Reposted by Matt Skibinski (NewsGuard)
At long last, my stupidly long post on how Brendan Carr is aiming to be America's top censor.
www.techdirt.com/2024/11/27/b...
www.techdirt.com/2024/11/27/b...
Brendan Carr Makes It Clear That He’s Eager To Be America’s Top Censor
When Donald Trump announced that he was appointing current FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr to be the next chair of the FCC, it was no surprise. Nor was it a surprise that Trump tried to play up that …
www.techdirt.com
November 27, 2024 at 9:55 PM
At long last, my stupidly long post on how Brendan Carr is aiming to be America's top censor.
www.techdirt.com/2024/11/27/b...
www.techdirt.com/2024/11/27/b...
Reposted by Matt Skibinski (NewsGuard)
Mike Pesca praises NewsGuard’s apolitical work in The Gist:
“They do an honest job with the left and with the right.”
Listen to the full episode here: www.mikepesca.com/thegist/epis...
THE GIST | Mike Pesca
Mike Pesca has established a seven-year connection to his audience as host of The Gist. For thirty minutes each day, Pesca challenges himself and his audience, in a responsibly provocative style, and ...
www.mikepesca.com
November 27, 2024 at 8:40 PM
Mike Pesca praises NewsGuard’s apolitical work in The Gist:
“They do an honest job with the left and with the right.”
Listen to the full episode here: www.mikepesca.com/thegist/epis...
After the incoming FCC chair was apparently misled by Newsmax into threatening to punish NewsGuard for its speech, commentators across the political spectrum have pointed out that "the would-be censor here is the government official — not us."
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/commentary...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/commentary...
Commentary: FCC Commissioner Gets Hoodwinked About NewsGuard
Welcome to Reality Check, your inside look at how misinformation online is undermining trust — and who’s behind it.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
November 27, 2024 at 12:04 PM
After the incoming FCC chair was apparently misled by Newsmax into threatening to punish NewsGuard for its speech, commentators across the political spectrum have pointed out that "the would-be censor here is the government official — not us."
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/commentary...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/commentary...
Reposted by Matt Skibinski (NewsGuard)
"Credible news organizations and libraries are in the exact same business of empowering people with information." www.texasstandard.org/stories/news...
In a new information age, news outlets are partnering with public libraries
Dallas in particular is a hub for library-media collaborations.
www.texasstandard.org
November 21, 2024 at 11:21 PM
"Credible news organizations and libraries are in the exact same business of empowering people with information." www.texasstandard.org/stories/news...
Reposted by Matt Skibinski (NewsGuard)
And here’s a response from NewsGuard to Carr’s claims about the company, its methodology, and product. It says Carr “was misled by relying on false reports” about NewsGuard.
Read: www.newsguardtech.com/wp-content/u...
Read: www.newsguardtech.com/wp-content/u...
www.newsguardtech.com
November 19, 2024 at 7:51 PM
And here’s a response from NewsGuard to Carr’s claims about the company, its methodology, and product. It says Carr “was misled by relying on false reports” about NewsGuard.
Read: www.newsguardtech.com/wp-content/u...
Read: www.newsguardtech.com/wp-content/u...
There are now about as many AI-generated news sites as actual daily newspaper sites serving news to readers in the U.S. And the AI-generated news sites are multiplying rapidly.
AI-generated "news" sites are on the rise. Our team has cataloged 1,121 such sites in our AI Misinformation Tracking Center, some of which have originated viral misinformation claims.
Learn more: www.newsguardtech.com/speci...
Learn more: www.newsguardtech.com/speci...
Tracking AI-enabled Misinformation: Over 1100 ‘Unreliable AI-Generated News’ Websites (and Counting), Plus the Top False Narratives Generated by Artificial Intelligence Tools - NewsGuard
www.newsguardtech.com
November 21, 2024 at 4:29 PM
There are now about as many AI-generated news sites as actual daily newspaper sites serving news to readers in the U.S. And the AI-generated news sites are multiplying rapidly.
Reposted by Matt Skibinski (NewsGuard)
NewsGuard’s reporting on AI misinformation was featured in @washingtonpost.com
“Foreign influence actors used AI up to the closing hours of the election, spreading baseless allegations … according to the misinformation tracking organization NewsGuard.”
www.washingtonpost.com/tech...
“Foreign influence actors used AI up to the closing hours of the election, spreading baseless allegations … according to the misinformation tracking organization NewsGuard.”
www.washingtonpost.com/tech...
www.washingtonpost.com
November 20, 2024 at 7:37 PM
NewsGuard’s reporting on AI misinformation was featured in @washingtonpost.com
“Foreign influence actors used AI up to the closing hours of the election, spreading baseless allegations … according to the misinformation tracking organization NewsGuard.”
www.washingtonpost.com/tech...
“Foreign influence actors used AI up to the closing hours of the election, spreading baseless allegations … according to the misinformation tracking organization NewsGuard.”
www.washingtonpost.com/tech...
One interesting finding from our team @newsguard.bsky.social: AI models are awful at responding to news-related prompts. In our latest analysis, we found chatbots failed to provide accurate info on news topics 43% of the time, and often repeated misinformation. www.newsguardtech.com/special-repo...
November 19, 2024 at 2:50 PM
One interesting finding from our team @newsguard.bsky.social: AI models are awful at responding to news-related prompts. In our latest analysis, we found chatbots failed to provide accurate info on news topics 43% of the time, and often repeated misinformation. www.newsguardtech.com/special-repo...
Our team at @newsguard.bsky.social catalogs how AI content farms are having a field day with false claims about Elon Musk buying different companies.
AI content farms are pushing fake stories about Elon Musk’s acquisitions, falsely claiming he bought companies including CNN, McDonald’s, Ford, Disney, and Walmart.
Read more about the origins of these false claims in Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/fake-claim...
Read more about the origins of these false claims in Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/fake-claim...
Fake Claims of Elon Musk’s Latest Acquisitions
Plus: No, Sephora Didn’t Donate to Trump’s Campaign; Alex Jones’ Post-Infowars Plans
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
November 18, 2024 at 7:23 PM
Our team at @newsguard.bsky.social catalogs how AI content farms are having a field day with false claims about Elon Musk buying different companies.
Worth a read: Our team at @newsguard.bsky.social has cataloged 92 different many false health claims made by Health and Human Services Secretary nominee RFK Jr. www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/introducin...
Introducing the RFK Jr. Healthcare Claims Depository
Plus: Russians Post Fake Trump-Putin AI Images to Celebrate Election; False Project 2025 Claims Surge; Iran Touts Fake Trump Quote
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
November 18, 2024 at 1:21 PM
Worth a read: Our team at @newsguard.bsky.social has cataloged 92 different many false health claims made by Health and Human Services Secretary nominee RFK Jr. www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/introducin...