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Trust. Verified.

Problem: The internet is teeming with fake news sites.

Solution: Provide a voluntary mechanism to verify, certify, and accredit news websites, organizations and journalists based on generally accepted principles of journalism, and indicators news trust.

Establish the legitimacy and authority of your news website with the public.

The Fourth Estate NewsCert^™ Verified Website Program gives news organizations a simple and straightforward mechanism to stand apart as legitimate, credible and authoritative.

Fourth Estate analysts review and verify a news organization's online presence, editorial statements, and supporting verification to ensure that they are properly licensed and registered, follow applicable laws, and adhere to best disclosure practices for news organizations – no policy review or on-site inspection is required for verification.

Once verified, Fourth Estate will add you to the verified NewsCert^™ websites list. And you’ll also be able to use the NewsCert^™ verified seals and intellectual property.

To set yourself apart from fake and Illegitimate news websites and consider applying for NewsCert^™ verification now.

More information on doing so can be found on the NewsCert^™ Consumer focused website to, www.newscert.org.

Benefits of NewsCert™ Verification

Once verified, you’ll be able to:

• Publicize your NewsCert^™ verification on your website with Google, Bing, Yahoo!, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, and other internet sites;
• Display NewsCert^™ verification seals;
• Your news website listed as being verified on the consumer facing NewsCert^™ website;
• Cement your organization's reputation as a legitimate news outlet.

Know Before You Apply

If a news website has been NewsCert^™ verified by the Fourth Estate, it means that we have determined that the business meets minimum verification and disclosure requirements. NewsCert^™verified news organizations pay a fee for accreditation application, review and monitoring for continued compliance and for support of Fourth Estate's services to the public.

The NewsCert^™ verification requirements represents minimum standards for news website verification by the Fourth Estate. News websites and organizations that meet these minimal standards and complete all application procedures will be verified by the Fourth Estate.

The verification requirements are informed by the Fourth Estate's Core Journalism Principles, the Journalism Code of Practice and built with key trust indicators in mind; eight principles that summarize important elements of creating and maintaining trust in news and journalism.

NewsCert^™ verification is not an indicator or mean that the news outlet's journalism or reporting have been evaluated or endorsed by the Fourth Estate, or that Fourth Estate has made any determination as to the outlet’s journalism quality or competency.

News organizations are under no obligation to seek NewsCert^™verification, and some news organizations are not verified because they have not sought verification.

Fees

NewsCert^™ verification fees are based on the total number of news and editorial staff that the news organization employs and contracts. This number includes all full-time, part-time, contract and freelance staff.

_{*sole or single practitioner news sites/outlets are not eligible for NewsCert^™ verification.}

Start the NewsCert™ application process today. (coming soon)

The NewsCert^™ application and consumer facing website / search engine currently being constructed.  Contact [email protected] to initiate an application for a news organization.

NewsCert™ Verification

Overview
Benefits of Verification
Know Before You Apply
Fees
Apply (coming soon)