Reliable Sources of Information
- Bluesky: Think of this microblogging social media service as your friendlier, more reliable alternative to Elon Musk’s X and META’s Thread. You can follow many national media organizations, political organizations, and writers such as The Kentucky Lantern, ProPublica, New York Times, and Appalshop. Sign up for Bluesky at https://bsky.app.
- Substack: This subscription-based platform allows writers, journalists, and other content creators to publish newsletters. You choose who/what you want to follow. Much of the content is free. For example, many of the writers you may be following already can be found here, e.g., Heather Cox Richardson, Joyce Vance, Robert Reich, and Andy Borowitz, to name a few. Their columns will still come to your inbox, Sign up for Substack at https://substack.com.
- The Contrarian: This service defines itself as “a central hub for unvarnished, unbowed, and uncompromising reported opinion and analysis that exists in opposition to the authoritarian threat.” It was started by journalist Jennifer Rubin, who left WaPo, and former White House ethics lawyer Norm Eisen. You can take a peek on Substack and see what you think.
- Consider using a tool like Ground.news, “a platform that makes it easy to compare news sources, read between the lines of media bias and break free from algorithms.”
- Become an expert at spotting (and fighting) mis- and disinformation. Poynter’s MediaWise offers a myriad of resources to help you spot mis- and disinformation.
- Invest in your local library where, beyond books and newspapers, you can make connections in your community and disseminate public information.