A Conservative MP has joined the advisory board of the news ranking app Newsguard a month after it launched in the UK.
Ed Vaizey (pictured) will advise the US-based firm on countering online misinformation as a member of Newsguard’s global advisory board.
The former culture and digital economy minister will join several US political figures on the board, including a former CIA Director and an ex-Homeland Security secretary.
Newsguard analysts ranks the trustworthiness of news websites, giving them red (bad) or green (good) labels based on nine criteria.
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When it rolled out its rankings for UK news websites in April, most major publishers received green labels.
In a statement on his appointment, Vaizey said: “I am delighted to support Newsguard as it offers an important solution to the enormous social and political problems created by misinformation and disinformation online.”
Newsguard co-chief executive Steven Brill added: “The battle against misinformation online is being fought in many countries.
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“We’re pleased to have the advice of Mr Vaizey as the UK takes the lead in creating new legal protections for consumers.”
Newsguard first launched in the US last year and is available as an extension on the the major web browsers.
The service hit headlines in January when it handed the Mail Online a green trust ranking after admitting it was “wrong” to have first ranked the website as red .
Picture: Parliament/Creative Commons
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