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Earlier this year, Reason was absurdly tagged by the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), a British organization that aims to steer advertisers away from disreputable websites, as a dangerous disseminator of disinformation. To add insult to injury, the index was published by a group that receives funding from the U.S. State Department through the National Endowment for Democracy. In other words, your tax dollars helped pay for it.
The GDI slapped Reason with its "high-risk" label without pointing to a single error or inaccuracy in our reporting, much less intentional disinformation, while inaccurately characterizing our byline and corrections policies. Senior Editor Robby Soave scored a mini scoop a few days later when he discovered that best-selling author Anne Applebaum, listed as a member of the group's board, actually had no affiliation with it, suggesting that they might want to get their own house in order.
(Elon Musk called the absurd labeling and mistreatment of Reason "very concerning" in a February tweet, and no matter what else you think about the letter-X-obsessed billionaire, he's absolutely right about that.)
Since Reason enjoys a perfect rating from a competing, and more widely used, rating site—NewsGuard—the whole thing might simply be good for a laugh if the GDI wasn't a shocking misuse of government funds and an attempted end run around the First Amendment. "Reason is one of the smartest, well-edited libertarian-oriented publications and has been for decades," explained HotAir's Ed Morrissey. "I sometimes disagree with their arguments and positions, but I have never read anything that counts as 'disinformation' or dishonesty. If your risk list gives high marks to BuzzFeed for credibility and freaks out at Reason, you've gone way off the rails."
Reason has a proud tradition of busting hoaxes, questioning orthodoxy, and asking uncomfortable questions about dominant narratives. Our investigative cover story on the Facebook Files further exposed the government's role in ineptly policing what it declared "disinformation."
As journalist Matt Taibbi said: "Even before the news media business went fully off the rails in recent years, Reason always stood out as a publication unafraid to take unconventional stances or report on controversial issues."
After a much-covered blast at a Gaza hospital, for example, NBC's Ben Collins uncritically accepted and helped circulate inaccurate claims made by Palestinian authorities. The 2023 Walter Cronkite Award winner and superstar on the disinformation beat morally condemned those who delayed in reporting casualty numbers that were later found to be wildly exaggerated. Reason pushed back, with Soave pointing out why Collins (and others) were wrong.
In a tweet endorsing Reason's coverage, FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver pointed out that Collins has an "unfortunate little habit of constantly spreading disinformation that confirms his political priors." Reporter Josh Barro agreed: "'Disinformation reporter' is a ridiculous construct to begin with—all reporters are supposed to be in the business of reporting facts, but they hold themselves out as special arbiters over the others, and always for the same ideological agenda."
Guided by our mission, Reason produces careful, thoughtful, and engaging journalism. We strive to be fair and honest. We correct our mistakes. And we are often the only ones asking questions that mainstream outlets are all too happy to ignore. Every day, Reason journalists reenter the fray to check panics with information and analysis, take the powerful to task for their abuses and failures, and make the case for the ideas of liberty.
If that's dangerous, then we're dangerous. Donate to support Reason, a danger to disinformation panicmongers (and purveyors) everywhere.
*(Disinformation alert: Technically you do have the opportunity to support Reason every day. But if you do it today, your money will be doubled thanks to a generous donor. So now's the moment to give!)