Before It’s News (often stylized BeforeItsNews) is a citizen journalism / alternative news platform launched in 2008-2009, allowing anyone to register and publish articles, commentary, opinion, or reports on a wide variety of topics without a traditional editorial gatekeeper.
Its stated mission is to serve as a place for “people powered news” — giving voice to reports and stories that might be overlooked, ignored, or filtered by mainstream media. The site promotes itself as a platform for whistle-blowers, citizen reporters, and individuals wishing to express beliefs or covering events in their own localities or globally.
In its “About” section, Before It’s News claims that mainstream media often omit important facts or frame stories in ways that suit certain narratives (“memes”), and that people whose stories matter should have a direct way to share them without intermediaries.
How Before It’s News Operates
To understand what kind of site it is, it helps to look at how its platform functions, how content is generated, what controls or moderation exist, and how it positions itself in the media landscape.
User-generated content: Anyone can create a free account and post their own story. There is minimal formal editorial control. Posts may be labelled “promotional,” which have modest fees; but mostly it’s free for users to publish.
Wide topical range: Topics include politics, health, science (often fringe science), conspiracy theories, environment, spirituality, paranormal, etc. Many pieces are opinion, speculative, or focused on alternative beliefs.
Ad‐supported revenue model: The site uses advertisements, and sometimes encourages visitors to disable ad blockers. Some content may be “promotional,” which suggests paid posts or content with commercial backing.
No strong institutional editorial oversight: While the site claims to assemble editors and writers, the fact that virtually anyone can post and that much content is unverified or speculative means standard journalistic checks (fact-checking, source verification, corrections) are often weak or missing.
Credibility, Bias & Criticism
Because of its openness and lack of tight editorial control, Before It’s News has been the subject of significant criticism. Here are major concerns:
Rated as “Questionable Source”: Media Bias/Fact Check (MBFC) labels the site Questionable, with low credibility, citing promotion of pseudoscience, conspiracy theories, poor sourcing, lack of transparency.
Bias: The site displays what fact-checkers view as extreme right bias, with frequent content including conspiracy theories, anti‐vaccination rhetoric, etc.
Misinformation concerns: Many published articles are either unverified or are contrary to evidence as assessed by independent fact checkers. Examples include false claims (e.g. about public figures, health interventions, etc.) that have been debunked.
Lack of transparency: Ownership and funding of the site are not very clear. While it is known that Chris Kitze is involved and that there are ties to other media interests, many pieces of content lack clear sourcing of evidence, author credentials, etc.
Why Some People Use / Follow It
Despite criticisms, Before It’s News has a following and attracts attention. Why?
Alternative viewpoints: For people who feel mainstream media omit certain stories, narratives, or events, BIN (Before It’s News) offers content outside the filtered, corporate structure. This appeals especially to those interested in conspiracy, non-mainstream science, or local/unreported stories.
Freedom of expression: Because anyone can contribute, there is less barrier for minority voices, local observers, whistleblowers, etc., to share.
Speed and variety: Some stories appear very quickly, especially local or fringe events, that mainstream outlets might not cover until later (or at all).
Community / engagement: Readers who prefer “different” takes or who distrust mainstream media may value the platform’s content more than more traditional outlets.
Risks & How to Evaluate / Use It Carefully
For readers, there are real risks in relying on the site without caution. Here are things to watch out for and methods to evaluate content critically:
Check sources: If an article doesn’t cite verifiable sources (studies, primary documents, interviews with verifiable people), treat it with skepticism.
Corroborate with reliable news outlets: See if the story appears elsewhere, especially in outlets known for fact-checking and editorial standards. If not, that may be a red flag.
Be wary of sensational language: Headlines that promise shocking revelations, secret conspiracies, etc., are more likely to exaggerate or mislead.
Look for corrections / updates: Reliable sources will update or correct false claims; BIN often lacks visible correction mechanisms.
Understand bias: Some content is heavily slanted, particularly conspiratorial or ideological. Be aware of your own bias and how content might be designed for persuasion.
The Place of Before It’s News in the Media Ecosystem & Its Future
Putting all this together, where does Before It’s News sit in the broader media landscape, and what might its future look like?
Niche role: It occupies a niche for alternative media — both in content (fringe theories, independent reports) and in voice (citizen journalism). For many, it is more a commentary or opinion site than a source for verified news.
Tension between openness and reliability: The platform’s strength (openness) is also its biggest weakness. Over time, increased scrutiny or regulatory pressure (for misinformation) may force the site to adopt stronger content moderation, fact-checking, or disclaimers.
Potential for improved reputation: If Before It’s News were to invest in verifying content more robustly, improving transparency (authors, sources, corrections), it could improve credibility. But that requires resources, which may be constrained given its ad-based model.
Regulatory and ethical pressures: As governments, platforms, and the public become more aware of the harms of misinformation, sites like Before It’s News may face pressure (legal, platform moderation, social pressure) to police content more strictly.
Audience trends: There is growing demand for “outside the mainstream” content, but also growing concern over misinformation. Reader literacy and media-skepticism matter greatly. For those who use Before It’s News, education in how to discern good from bad content is essential.
Bottom Line: Is Before It’s News Reliable?
In summary:
Before It’s News is not reliably credible in a journalistic sense. Many of its articles are not held to strong standards of verification, sourcing, or editorial oversight.
However, it can be a useful source of alternative perspectives, local/unreported stories, or ideas people aren’t seeing elsewhere — if used with caution. Meaning: verify, cross-check, and don’t treat every claim as fact.
For casual reading, curiosity, or exploring non-mainstream viewpoints, it has value. For serious information (especially on health, politics, science), relying solely on Before It’s News would be risky.
