Before Its News: Is It Trustworthy for Tech News?

Citizen journalism has reshaped how we consume information in a digital environment where anyone with a smartphone can break a story. Sources like Before Its News have received massive attention on the internet due to their coverage of topics from politics to technological breakthroughs. But with its focus on alternative and often controversial topics, one question looms large: Can you trust Before Its News for reliable tech news, or is it just a breeding ground for rumours?

This blog post dives deep into the world of Before Its News, dissecting its role in the citizen journalism movement and scrutinizing its credibility as a source of the latest in technology. We’ll explore the platform’s unique features, the nature of its content, and the challenges it faces in ensuring accuracy. By the end, you’ll clearly understand whether Before It’s News is a valuable resource for tech enthusiasts or simply a platform for speculation.

What is Before It’s News?

Before It’s News is a citizen journalism website founded in 2008, in which anybody can post news articles without editorial control.  It promotes alternative viewpoints, covering matters often overlooked by mainstream media, such as politics, health, and more, ranging from science to conspiracy theories. Although it encourages freedom of speech, the absence of fact-checking has raised criticism toward the validity of content.

Key Features of Before It’s News

Before It’s News has a number of unique features that differentiate it from mainstream news sites:

1. Open Publishing Platform: Anyone can register and post articles even if they don’t have a website or blog. This accessibility makes everyone able to share their voice without any limitation.
2. Wide Variety of Subjects: The site covers a diverse range of topics, including conspiracy theories, health issues, politics, and paranormal activity.
3. Community-Based Content: The BIN features user-generated content that represents a global community of users who report occurrences and situations from around the world.
4. Minimal Editorial Control: There is minimal editorial control, resulting in diverse opinions and a higher potential for misinformation.
5. Revenue Model through Ads: The website is primarily dependent on advertisement revenue and requests that its users turn off ad blockers to ensure the website functions as expected.
6. Alternative News Focus: The website specialises in news coverage and commentary that is not typically found in mainstream media, with the aim of giving a voice to those who have compelling stories to tell.
7. Lack of Fact-Checking: There is no standard process for fact-checking and correction, which can result in even unverified information being passed through.
8. Community Engagement: Readers can comment, rate, and share stories, encouraging conversation and user participation.

Content Categories on the Before It’s News

Before It’s News (BIN) presents a broad variety of user-created content in many categories:

• Featured: Highlighted stories on popular or newsworthy topics.
• Economy: Financial market coverage and worldwide or local economic news.
• Health: Wellness stories and health news, including alternative medicine, occasionally reporting unproven claims.
• Beyond Science: Stories about mysterious events, fringe theories, and weird science.
• Power of Belief: These articles focused on religion, spirituality, and personal growth.
• Sustainable Living: Encourages eco-friendly behaviour and environmental friendliness.
• Inspiration: Successful life experiences, motivational stories, and personal victories.
• Live: Real-time reporting and updates on major unfolding events.
• Video: User-submitted footage, interviews, and documentary-style content.
• Top 50: A list of the most popular and most-read articles on the platform.
• Most Recent: A stream of the latest user submissions across all categories.
• Shopping: Product reviews, advertisements, and promotional lifestyle content.

Is Before It’s News a Legitimate Tech News Source?

Looks like Before Its News can’t be considered one of the legitimate tech news sources due to several critical factors:

1. Open Publishing Model: Anyone can submit content without a strict editorial filter, similar to a blog aggregator. Consequently, this lack of filtering increases the risk for misinformation, conspiracy theories, and sensationalism.
2. Lack of Fact-Checking: Unlike authentic sources, Before It’s News lacks both fact-checkers as an employment department and firm editorial policies. Furthermore, in tech journalism, credible sourcing and verification against facts are often either not provided in the articles or poorly executed. As a result, this raises concerns about the accuracy of facts contained within publications found on the platform.
3. Quality and Presentation: The majority of articles are speculative or opinion pieces, and their quality varies significantly. In addition, the website is also poorly presented, with numerous advertisements and sensationalised headlines, as opposed to the neat and businesslike presentation found on reputable tech news websites.
4. Ethical and Transparency Concerns: There is little transparency concerning its editorial policies, corrections, and ownership. Typically, Legitimate news sources disclose all these details as a means of gaining trust.

Before It’s News Credibility and Reliability Assessments 

Some media inspection groups have reviewed BIN’s content, which has frequently raised issues about its credibility:

• Ad Fontes Media: BIN is rated “Unreliable, Inaccurate” with a reliability score of 6.23 out of 64. It is classified as “Hyper-Partisan Right,” with a score of 29.41 on their scale. Moreover, Ad Fontes mentions that BIN has been accused of spreading conspiracy theories and fake news.
• Media Bias/Fact Check (MBFC): MBFC calls BIN a “Questionable Source” because it promotes pseudoscience, right-wing conspiracy theories, and bad sourcing.  Moreover, it mentions two direct instances in which BIN had published false news, for example, the arrest of George Soros and misinformation regarding vaccines. 
• Scamadviser provides a mixed review, rating the BIN with an average score of 3.8 out of 5, based on factors such as domain age and SSL certification. However, it notes that the site has received both positive and negative feedback from users.

Some Evidence of Misinformation on Before It’s News

Before It’s News has faced considerable criticism over the years for its involvement in spreading news items regarded as misinformation and conspiracy theories. Among such examples:

1. Pizzagate Conspiracy Theory

Before It’s News was one of the several names to spread the debunked “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory claiming that some high-ranking Democratic officials were organizationally involved in a child trafficking ring operating out of a pizzeria in Washington, D.C. This completely baseless accusation was virally promulgated and had consequences in real-life situations including the shooting incidence at mentioned pizzeria. 

2. False Claims About George Soros

The website has posted baseless reports concerning philanthropist George Soros, such as a false report of his arrest in Switzerland in February 2019. Thus, the account was unproven and fell within a broader pattern of disinformation against Soros.

3. COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories

During the COVID-19 pandemic, BIN generated content that fostered disinformation. For instance, the theory that the virus was a bioweapon meant to regulate the population or that the 5G technology caused the infection to spread. Therefore, such articles were part of a wider tide of disinformation, which affected health programs and led to confusion.

Alternatives to Before It’s News for Reliable Tech News

If you’re seeking reliable alternatives to Before It’s News for trustworthy technology news, consider the following platforms that offer credible, up-to-date information:

1. Coruzant Technologies

Coruzant Technologies is an online magazine that has specialised in blockchain since 2019. It provides in-depth coverage of emerging technologies, including AI, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT). The website offers articles from tech visionaries globally, along with The Digital Executive podcast, where tech founders narrate their stories of their journey.

2. TechCrunch

One of the top technology media sites, TechCrunch focuses on startups, new online products, and the latest tech news. Additionally, it offers comprehensive coverage of the tech industry, including Silicon Valley trends and venture capital agreements.

3. The Verge

The Verge is a technology news and media network based in the United States, owned by Vox Media. It offers news, product evaluations, profiles, and advice in areas where technology may eventually affect how we live.

4. Ars Technica

Ars Technica is another famous site that covers news, politics, science, society, and technology, as well as opinion articles. It is also renowned for its in-depth reporting and coverage of technology issues and trends.

Reliable Alternatives to Before It’s News: A Quick Comparison

Platform	Focus Area	Key Features	Reliability Rating
Before It’s News	User-generated tech/general news	No editorial oversight- Clickbait common- Frequent conspiracy content	Low (2.3/5)
Coruzant Technologies	Blockchain, AI, IoT	Expert interviews- Niche tech focus- Podcast series	High (4.9/5)
TechCrunch	Startups, Silicon Valley	Breaking tech news- Crunchbase data- VC funding analysis	High (4.5/5)
The Verge	Consumer tech, gadgets	Product reviews- Future tech trends- Policy coverage	Average (3.8/5)
Ars Technica	Technical deep dives	Scientist-authored- Hardware/software analysis	High(4.5/5)

Key Takeaways

• Before It’s News is widely rated as unreliable due to a lack of editorial control and the presence of conspiracy content.
• Coruzant Technologies stands out for expert-driven insights, niche tech focus, and high user trust ratings.
• TechCrunch and Ars Technica offer in-depth, reliable coverage on startups and advanced tech analysis.
• The Verge provides well-rounded, culturally aware tech news, though with slightly lower reliability scores.

How to Spot Misinformation on Before It’s News or Any Other Blog

Given the concerns regarding the reliability of Before It’s News, readers should approach its content with caution. Here are some tips:

• Verify the Author’s Credentials: Ensure that the writer possesses professional qualifications or has in-depth knowledge of the topic they are writing about. A lack of basic credentials or a bio could be a red flag.
• Assess the Source: Investigate the website’s domain and ownership to determine its credibility and legitimacy.
• Examine Supporting Evidence: Trustworthy articles will provide verified data, links to government reports, or references to scientific studies. Claims that lack evidence or are not clear should be avoided.
• Evaluate the Tone and Language: Reliable journalism uses neutral, objective language. Overly emotional, alarmist, or conspiratorial tones may indicate bias or misinformation.
• Check Publication Dates: Ensure the information is current and not outdated or taken out of context.

Best Practices for Navigating Before It’s News

When you browse BIN, use the following best practices to protect yourself from unreliable content:

1. Approach with caution: Remember that BIN has no editorial control. Therefore, the possibility of false information would be high.
2. Cross-Reference Information: Find out whether or not the article’s claims agree with credible news sources.
3. Be Sceptical: Stay away from appealing headlines and exaggerated claims.
4. Use Fact-Checking Tools: To ensure the validity of the facts, use FactCheck.org or Snopes as fact-checking tools.
5. Avoid the spread of disinformation: Do not share articles unless you are certain they are accurate.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Before It’s News provides a forum for a range of viewpoints and unusual stories. Still, due to its lack of editorial control, it promotes the spread of false information. Although it may appeal to those seeking alternative accounts, the validity of its reports is often questionable. Consequently, this raises red flags for readers who value fact-checked, credible reporting. 

Therefore, if you want credible news about technology, Before It’s News is probably not the source you’re looking for. There are much more credible sites such as TechCrunch, Ars Technica, or Coruzant Technologies. These sites give certified, well-researched information from experts. On the other hand, articles from BIN should be viewed with caution and checked before being posted or believed.

FAQs