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 profit or influence (Learn More). Sources listed in the Questionable Category may be 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.
- The Goldwater is a website that promotes extreme right-wing views, conspiracy theories, and misinformation. Its content lacks credible sourcing, transparency, and journalistic integrity. Given its history of publishing false information and promoting extremist narratives, The Goldwater is rated as an Extreme Right biased source with a Low factual score.
Detailed Report
Questionable Reasoning: Propaganda, Poor Sourcing, Failed Fact Checks, Conspiracy, Pseudoscience
Bias Rating: EXTREME RIGHT (9.5)
Factual Reporting: LOW (8.4)
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Minimal Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: LOW CREDIBILITY
History
The Goldwater is a U.S.-based website launched in 2016 by Jim Watkins, the owner of the controversial imageboard 8chan (now 8kun). Named after conservative figure Barry Goldwater, the site was intended to provide news content to the 8chan community. It features a mix of news, opinion pieces, and conspiracy theories, often presented with sensational headlines and a strong right-wing bias. The site ceased regular publication for several years but has recently resumed activity.
Read our profile on the United States media and government.
Funded by / Ownership
The Goldwater is privately owned by Jim Watkins, a U.S. Army veteran and entrepreneur known for his involvement in hosting controversial online platforms. Watkins has been associated with the spread of the QAnon conspiracy theory and has testified before the U.S. Congress regarding extremist content on his platforms. The Goldwater does not disclose its funding sources, and there is no transparent information about its revenue streams.
Analysis / Bias
The Goldwater exhibits an Extreme Right bias, characterized by the promotion of conspiracy theories, pseudoscientific claims, and propaganda. The site’s content often includes sensational headlines and unverified information, targeting political opponents and mainstream media.
Examples of content include:
- An article titled “The Biden Administration’s $375 Billion Climate Scam You Paid For” accuses the administration of using climate initiatives as a means to funnel money to political allies, without providing credible evidence.
- A piece titled “Modeling Agent and Epstein Pal Jean-Luc Brunel Found Dead in Cell With Camera Off” suggests foul play in Brunel’s death, echoing conspiracy theories surrounding Jeffrey Epstein.
- An article titled “What’s Next for Patriots and their President?” promotes debunked claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 U.S. presidential election and suggests unconstitutional methods to overturn the results.
- A piece titled “Obama Catches Wuhan Virus, Touts Vaccine” uses derogatory language and implies skepticism about COVID-19 vaccines, reflecting the site’s tendency to spread misinformation.
The Goldwater’s content lacks credible sourcing and often relies on anonymous authors or AI-generated articles. The site has a history of publishing fake news stories, such as a fabricated report about a Japanese porn star drowning during a film shoot, which originated from a known satirical website but was presented as factual news.
Failed Fact Checks
- The site has not been fact-checked recently by a third-party fact-checker; however, they previously failed several fact checks.
The Goldwater is a website that promotes extreme right-wing views, conspiracy theories, and misinformation. Its content lacks credible sourcing, transparency, and journalistic integrity. Given its history of publishing false information and promoting extremist narratives, The Goldwater is rated as an Extreme Right biased source with a Low factual score. (D. Van Zandt 12/22/2017) Updated (06/04/2025)
Source: http://www.thegoldwater.com/
Last Updated on June 4, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check
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Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources