QUESTIONABLE SOURCE
A questionable source exhibits one or more of the following: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, a complete lack of transparency and/or is fake news. Fake News is the deliberate attempt to publish hoaxes and/or disinformation for the purpose of profit or influence (Learn More). Sources listed in the Questionable Category may be very untrustworthy and should be fact checked on a per article basis. Please note sources on this list are not considered fake news unless specifically written in the reasoning section for that source. See all Questionable sources.
- Overall, we rate the Gatestone Institute Questionable based on extreme right wing bias, promotion of propaganda and conspiracies, poor sourcing, a lack of transparency and the publication of misleading or false information regarding Muslims.
Detailed Report
Factual Reporting: MIXED
Country: USA
World Press Freedom Rank: USA 48/180
History
Founded in 2008, The Gatestone Institute is a far right wing think tank that frequently publishes anti-Islamic information. The founder is Nina Rosenwald, with former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and former Trump national security adviser, John R. Bolton, serving as its chairman from 2013 to March 2018.
Funded by / Ownership
The Gatestone Institute is a non-profit that is funded through donations. The website lacks transparency as they do not list who funds them. The Gatestone Institute has received funding from the Mercer family as well as the William Rosenwald Family Fund, which is considered a top funder of Islamophobia.
Analysis / Bias
In review, the Gatestone Institute is anti-Islamic, pro-Christian and Jewish/Israel. Many of the articles will link back to sites that don’t say what they claim or make the same rash judgments, without proof. Example: Obama tells Christians to not protest in Egypt then doesn’t provide quotes or sources saying he said that.
Story selection often revolves around portraying Muslims negatively such as this Europe: The Great White Death? This poorly sourced story arouses fear that Europe could have a larger Muslim population than Christian population. Based on the title, apparently only Whites are Christian in Europe? Further, the Gatestone Institute has been frequently criticized for publishing misleading or false information about Muslims such as these:
- Trump’s new national security adviser chairs a group that has spread false claims about Muslim refugees in Europe
- How Geert Wilders Became America’s Favorite Islamophobe
- John Bolton presided over anti-Muslim think tank
- The paranoid style in Islamophobic politics
Other organizations, such as the Southern Poverty Law Center have called the Gatestone Institute, “an organization known for spreading anti-Muslim conspiracy theories.” Further, they have a close connection to the current Trump administration as John Bolton served as National Security Adviser for Trump and Alan Dershowitz is representing President Trump in his Impeachment: This Anti-Muslim Think Tank Paid Alan Dershowitz and John Bolton Over $250k.
A factual search reveals one IFCN failed fact check.
Although there is only one verified failed fact, there have been numerous cases of misinformation from Gatestone Institute.
Overall, we rate the Gatestone Institute Questionable based on extreme right wing bias, promotion of propaganda and conspiracies, poor sourcing, a lack of transparency and the publication of misleading or false information regarding Muslims. (M. Allen 12/30/2016) Updated (1/17/2020)
Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources
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