U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) praised Microsoft’s decision to disavow its affiliation with NewsGuard. This move came in response to a letter from Sen. Cruz calling out the company for financing NewsGuard’s so-called “Media Literacy” program. The program was actively marketed as an educational tool for schoolchildren to learn about “misinformation,” but NewsGuard’s inconsistent and biased rating system indoctrinates children and distorts their media literacy by censoring exposure to conservative viewpoints.
“Big Tech is finally beginning to recognize the censorship of conservative viewpoints will no longer be tolerated by the American people. I am happy to see that the leadership at Microsoft has renounced their support of NewGuard’s so-called Media Literacy tool in response to my letter,” said Sen. Cruz. “NewsGuard’s biased rating system stifles intellectual diversity, hinders critical thinking among young students, and undermines our nation’s core values of free expression.”
In December 2024, Sen. Cruz sent a letter requesting information about Microsoft’s financial support of NewsGuard’s “Media Literacy” program and efforts to silence conservative viewpoints.
In response to Sen. Cruz’s letter, Microsoft claimed their support of NewsGuard was limited to a one-time donation in 2018 and asked NewsGuard to remove the claim on its website that “NewsGuard’s Media Literacy Programs are made possible thanks to generous support from Microsoft.” NewsGuard has since removed mention of Microsoft on its website.
