Sources in the Conspiracy-Pseudoscience category may publish unverifiable information that is not always supported by evidence. These sources may be untrustworthy for credible/verifiable information; therefore, fact-checking and further investigation is recommended on a per-article basis when obtaining information from these sources. See all Conspiracy-Pseudoscience sources.

• Overall, we rate ZeroHedge an extreme right-biased conspiracy website based on the promotion of false/misleading/debunked information that routinely denigrates the left.

Detailed Report

Bias Rating: RIGHT CONSPIRACY/PSEUDOSCIENCE
Factual Reporting: LOW
Country: Bulgaria
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: LOW CREDIBILITY

History

Launched in 2009, ZeroHedge or Zero Hedge is a finance blog founded by Colin Lokey, also known as “Tyler Durden,” Daniel Ivandjiiski, and Tim Backshall. According to a Bloomberg Interview, the ZeroHedge founders/authors were anonymous until 2016. A Professional Service Subscription is required to read the rest of Bloomberg’s interview; however, a New Yorker article also covered their history.

ZeroHedge wrote a rebuttal article regarding the Bloomberg interview that can be found here. A quote reads: “Zero Hedge hired Colin after he approached us over a year ago begging for a job after being fired with cause from Seeking Alpha, following a fight with a co-worker.”

On 02/15/2022, U.S. intelligence officials accused Zero Hedge of amplifying Kremlin propaganda targeting Ukrainians and taking direction from Russian spies. Zero Hedge denies the claim.

Read our profile on Bulgaria’s government and media.

Funded by / Ownership

The website is registered in Bulgaria under the name Georgi Georgiev, a business partner of Krassimir Ivandjiiski.

According to Rationalwiki, the only writer “conclusively” identified is “Dan Ivandjiiski, who conducts public interviews on behalf of Zero Hedge.” The blog generates revenue from online advertising and subscriptions.

Analysis / Bias

A quote from a New Yorker article summarizes the blog’s political stance, which Lokey told Bloomberg is: “Russia=good. Obama=idiot. Bashar al-Assad=benevolent leader. John Kerry= dunce. Vladimir Putin=greatest leader in the history of statecraft.”

ZeroHedge’s content has been classified as “alt-right” and has been criticized for presenting conspiracy theories.

In review, ZeroHedge publishes pro-right wing/Trump articles such as Pat Buchanan: “Trump Calls Off Cold War II.” As well as fake news stories regarding liberals: Anti-Trump Protesters Bused Into Austin, Chicago.

Editorial content is written under the pseudonym Tyler Durden and usually focuses on conspiracies related to economic collapse. Zero Hedge sources from factually mixed think tanks such as The Mises Institute, which promotes Austrian (Anarcho-Capitalism) economics. Finally, during the Coronavirus pandemic, they have frequently promoted false and misleading information, as evidenced by failed fact checks below.

Failed Fact Checks

• Says China “stole Coronavirus from Canada and weaponized it into a Bioweapon.” – False
• Craigslist ad proof counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally “paid to make chaos”? – False
• It’s now against the law in California to shower and do laundry on the same day. – Mostly False
• A “newly uncovered” photograph reveals Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was crying over an empty parking lot, not detained migrant children, at a protest in Texas. – False
• “The Ukrainian government just indicted the Burisma gas company & named Hunter Biden for accepting millions of dollars from a slush fund.” – False
• During the last hundred years the temperature increased about 0.1°C because of carbon dioxide. The human contribution was 0.01°C. – Incorrect
• New Study Confirms EVs Considerably Worse For Climate Than Diesel Cars – Inaccurate
• This coronavirus genome contained sequences of another virus […] the HIV virus (AIDS virus) – Inaccurate
• Coronavirus contains ‘HIV insertions’ – Inaccurate
• Fabricated genetic sequences used to support the hypothesis the virus arose naturally – False
• ”Pfizer launches final study for COVID drug that’s suspiciously similar to ‘horse paste’” ivermectin. – False
• A preprint of an ivermectin study in the Brazilian city of Itajaí found that prophylactic ivermectin reduced COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality by half. – Unsupported
• A new report estimates that 26.6 million people were injured, 1.36 million disabled, and 300,000 excess deaths can be attributed to COVID-19 vaccine damages in 2022 alone, which cost the economy nearly $150 billion. – False

Overall, we rate ZeroHedge an extreme right-biased conspiracy website based on the promotion of false/misleading/debunked information that routinely denigrates the left. (8/18/2016) Updated (M. Huitsing 10/30/2023)

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/