Microsoft Edge will protect users from fake news for free

In January 2019, when our biggest problem was fake news, Microsoft partnered with NewsGuard to deliver their service to Edge Mobile users for free.

NewsGuard uses a panel of 4000 journalists to fight false news, misinformation, and disinformation. Their trained analysts, who are experienced journalists, research online news brands to help readers and viewers know which ones are trying to do legitimate journalism—and which are not.

Now Microsoft has expanded that partnership to deliver the service, which normally costs $2.95 per month, for free to Edge users on the desktop.

Under the agreement, Microsoft will sponsor NewsGuard’s news literacy program—through which more than 700 libraries provide NewsGuard to their more than seven million patrons in the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy—and will expand the program into new countries, including Australia and Canada, which NewsGuard plans to serve later this year.

In turn, all users of Microsoft Edge’s desktop and mobile browser get access NewsGuard’s ratings for free, without paying the $2.95 monthly subscription fee that users of other browsers must pay. In addition, Microsoft’s Bing search engine will now have access to a real-time feed of NewsGuard data.

To use the service you need to install NewsGuard’s extension, which will add icons to links in search engines and social media, as shown in this video below:

Also, under the agreement, all other Microsoft departments are now able to use NewsGuard ratings and labels in their products and services. Projects already underway include the company’s Defending Democracy Program and teams within Microsoft Research who are working on misinformation, disinformation and health care hoaxes.

“We are delighted to be able to expand our relationship with Microsoft, which is a leader among companies in taking steps to address the unforeseen, unintended consequences of new technologies,” said NewsGuard co-CEO Gordon Crovitz. “The internet has empowered people around the world with unprecedented access to information, but the internet has also made it easier than ever for misinformation to spread, including health care hoaxes about COVID-19.”

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to work with Microsoft to arm its customers with NewsGuard ratings and Nutrition Labels to help them know the difference between generally reliable sources of news and information and generally unreliable sources,” added co-CEO Steven Brill. “With the exponential spread of unreliable healthcare hoaxes found online next to reliable sources, consumers need this information more than ever.”

Grab the extension from Microsoft’s extension store here.

via the WC