AverPoint has a 2-phased approach to determining if a source is "approved," meaning we'll measure reading time and critical interactions on that source.

Phase 1: 5 Criteria

For now, we screen a source for 5 criteria: 

1. Editorial process: There’s a public process that explains how editors review a story before it is published. 
2. Fact-checking: The editorial process includes fact-checking to confirm the claims can be verified or corroborated.
3. Retraction: If the source publishes something incorrectly, they admit their mistakes and publish a retraction.
4. Attribution/Plagiarism: If a journalist misattributes a quote, statistic, or more, there should be significant penalties. If they pass along another person’s work as their own, they should be fired. This isn’t just about ethics. Today's open information network depends heavily on accurate attribution, especially in the decentralized internet age.
5. No history of disinformation: The source does not have a history of strategically using false information to advance their agenda. If they do, it’s almost impossible to trust what they say. 

For now, a source gets the green check if it meets these 5 screening criteria. We look up their publisher standards and also rely on external reviews to determine if the criteria are met.

Phase 2: Credibility Layer

In the future, AverPoint aims to develop a community-powered credibility layer that generates 21st century trust between honest sources and media literate audiences. Like the US Constitution, the credibility system will be open while it protects against tyranny from the top or bottom. This is durable free speech that lasts over time. Readers should be able to question claims, and experts should be able to review claims. These checks on the media should be qualified and shouldn’t turn into trolling. If the source receives questions and reviews from responsible readers and experts, the source should respond - even if it means admitting a mistake.

Note for AverPoint Classroom Users

In AverPoint Classroom, teachers can assign readings from any source, even if they are not approved by AverPoint. We'll still measure student reading time and critical interactions.