Rebuilding the Public Trust

We aim to support shared reality and reinforce America’s social contract.

We envision an America in which the public puts its faith in verifiable truth and expertise, having the tools to recognize disinformation and the motivated actors trafficking in it.

We believe that an informed public is an essential firewall against efforts to undermine democratic institutions, American values, and human progress.

Here’s How We’re Working To Make It Happen

 Exposing Bad Actors

Misinformation is a killer in this age of pandemic disease, climate change, and social division. Our not-for-profit newsroom, Important Context, tracks the funding behind false and misleading narratives related to public health and science, exposing the individuals and organizations spreading them. We work to ensure that the public recognizes who is saying what—and why they are saying it.

Elevating Reliable Voices

An unfortunate reality today is that telling the truth often comes with personal and professional consequences. In recent years, we have seen renowned scientists face threats to their safety and careers for promoting lifesaving vaccines. To correct this unfortunate trend, the Accountability Journalism Institute celebrates brave truth-tellers, recognizing their contributions and amplifying their voices.

Resources For Journalism

The Accountability Journalism Institute strives to foster journalistic excellence and a new era in reporting. To that end, we have organized a board of respected and qualified experts to inform and improve media coverage of critical public health issues.

Featured Investigations

Featured
The Invisible Hand: How Dark Money Is Inventing Prestige for Right-Wing Academics
The Invisible Hand: How Dark Money Is Inventing Prestige for Right-Wing Academics

Important Context reveals how right-wing dark money groups are manufacturing prestige for friendly academics. This investigation dives into a new group called the American Academy of Sciences and Letters (AASL), which has been giving out awards to prominent scholars alongside fringe figures from the right. The goal appears to be boosting the latter through association with the former.

About that Vaccine Study RFK Cited At His Confirmation Hearing
About that Vaccine Study RFK Cited At His Confirmation Hearing

At his confirmation hearing, RFK Jr. defended the debunked vaccine-autism link using a study from a journal run by his anti-vax allies. The study’s author, its publisher, and its editorial board are deeply tied to Kennedy’s network. Despite claiming to be “pro-safety,” he’s pushing discredited research from his own camp.

“A New Academic Publishing Model”: Right-Wing Dark Money Group Launches Fringe Medical Journal
“A New Academic Publishing Model”: Right-Wing Dark Money Group Launches Fringe Medical Journal

Important Context dug into a new “academy” of public health complete with its own new medical journal. Behind the new publication are a number of COVID-19 contrarians, including two of Donald Trump’s public health picks, and a major right-wing dark money group funded by big money. The new venture promises to manufacture legitimacy for discredited pandemic policies and medical notions while limiting submissions to insiders.

“I have been leading efforts to counter expanding anti-vaccine disinformation. Important Context’s reporting has been essential for providing timely and mission-critical information to make this possible.”

— Professor Peter Hotez, MD PhD, Pediatrician-Vaccine Scientist

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