In a recent discussion between PragerU CEO Marissa Streit and Mike Benz, Executive Director of the Foundation for Freedom and former State Department official, they shed light on NewsGuard, a for-profit company that is running a mass blacklisting campaign in collaboration with corporations and advertisers to strangle conservative media. During their conversation on Real Talk, Streit emphasized how parents are hearing about “media literacy education,” which has become an integral part of school curriculums across the country.
According to Benz, “media literacy” is a term used by the left to control what news sources children can access and what content succeeds on social media platforms. He explained that when people hear the phrase “media literacy,” they tend to think of teaching students how to read and be more literate. However, he asserts that this is not the case. Instead, the focus on “literacy” is about determining whether one reads state-approved, government-approved media sources. The idea is that if someone reads the “wrong” media outlets, they are deemed “media illiterate,” and need to rely solely on government-approved sources for their information.
The partnership between NewsGuard and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), one of the largest teachers unions, has led to efforts in preventing children in K-12 schools and universities from citing sources like Prager University or the Heritage Foundation. As Breitbart News reported, PragerU criticized NewsGuard for its “insidious” practices aimed at driving companies that disagree with the left “out of business.” The nonprofit organization has also launched a petition to expose NewsGuard’s tactics.
Streit explained how NewsGuard sends conservative media companies a list of accusatory questions on hot-button issues. If these companies respond, NewsGuard ignores their answers and poses new questions. If the company doesn’t respond, NewsGuard lists it as an unreliable source, which discourages PR firms, advertising agencies, and major corporations from engaging with them, ultimately driving conservative news companies out of business.
In addition to Big Tech censoring speech online through NewsGuard, the government also utilizes the rating system for its purposes. The Defense Department has paid NewsGuard over $700,000 to monitor “misinformation” online, which Streit describes as information that the Defense Department dislikes.
Streit concluded by saying that if NewsGuard red-flags a source, it is clear that the left does not want people to read, watch, or listen to its content.