Neutrality Check: score any article for balance

One article, or the whole story

This page checks the article in front of you. The app does the harder part.

This free check

Reads the one article you paste
Looks at the writing only
Three checks a day

The Neutral News app

Every story written from several independent sources
Supportive and critical views on the same page
A neutrality score on each story, with no daily limit
Story arcs that follow an event as it unfolds
Alerts only for the regions you choose
Listen to any story, or tap a word for its meaning
Free, with no account to create

Today's stories, already scored

The newest stories from Neutral News, each with its published score. How we score ›

All stories ›Story arcs ›

In short

How the score works

What the score tells you

The neutrality score shows at a glance how fairly a story is told. A high score means you get more than one side, in calm language, with the context you need. A lower score is your cue to read with care.

The four questions behind every score

Every story we publish is checked against the same four questions.

Is the language fair?

We look for words that pass judgement where a plainer word would do the same job. Strong feelings belong in the quotes of the people involved, not in the reporting.

Pulls the score downLawmakers slammed the reckless bill.

Keeps it balancedLawmakers criticised the bill.

Is more than one side heard?

We check whether a story rests on a single account of events, or brings in the voices that would complicate it.

Pulls the score downThe minister says the policy is working.

Keeps it balancedThe minister says the policy is working. Opposition groups say costs have doubled.

Is opinion kept apart from fact?

We flag interpretation written as if it were settled, with nobody named as saying it.

Pulls the score downThe deal is a disaster for farmers.

Keeps it balancedFarm groups say the deal will hurt their members.

Is the full context there?

We ask whether you would finish the story missing something you need to weigh the claim.

Pulls the score downCrime rose 20% this year.

Keeps it balancedCrime rose 20% this year, after falling 30% over the previous five years.

Every story is held to the same standard, so a score means the same thing from one story to the next. An automated process applies it the same way every time. Our editors review every story before it reaches you.

What the colours mean

70 and above

Balanced

More than one side, measured language and the full context.

40 to 69

Mixed

The story leans in places. Worth reading with that in mind.

Below 40

Leaning

The story reads in one clear direction. We still publish the score so you can judge for yourself.

Read the full method

Frequently asked questions

The free check on this page5 questions

What does the free check look at?

Only the writing in the article you paste. It asks the same four questions we ask of our own stories: is the language fair, is more than one side heard, is opinion kept apart from fact, and is the full context there.

Can the free check see how widely a story was reported?

No. It reads only the article you paste, so it cannot see how other outlets covered the same event. Every story in the Neutral News app is built from that wider view. That is why the two scores differ.

Is the free check score the same as the score in the app?

No. The free check reads one article on its own. A story in the app is built from several sources and reviewed before it is published. The two scores measure different things.

What if I paste a link to a Neutral News story?

You see the score we published with that story. The free check and the app always show the same number.

How many articles can I check?

Three a day. Your count resets after 24 hours. Stories in the app already carry their score, with no daily limit.

Find more answers