Five questions
Richard Zack is the CEO of Troybased Our.News, news aggregator that looks to take the bias out of what users read on the web.
1 What is Our.News?
In the age of misinformation and intentionally false, misleading stories, Our.News provides a neutral and independent, web-based platform to combat fake news by letting registered users decide what is truth in news through a secure, easy-to-use STAR rating system. The proprietary technology uses neutral algorithms to add weight to ratings and compute scores for each news link submitted, after which users can share across social media.
2 What was the inspiration behind Our.News?
I happen to be a self-described news junkie and a serial entrepreneur with a background in technology. Our.News, created by me and my two partners, Ryan Yagatich and Sean Killary, was born out of frustration with apparent bias and inconsistencies between notable fact-checkers like Politifact, Snopes and FactCheck.org, frustration with inability for the public’s opinion to really count for anything when it comes to determining the truth in news, and frustration over the fake news crisis and no real solution. Our.News will always be free for news readers and news raters.
3 What are the most unique features of Our.News?
The first platform of its kind, Our. News uses a distinctive, fourpronged STAR rating system, allowing the public to rate the news in a central location, for spin, trustworthiness, accuracy and relevancy.
Our.News provides an independent mechanism through which the public can validate the news, combatting fake news and allegations of fake news. It also facilitates a new kind of dialogue about the news, encouraging the public to interact with traditional media in a new and meaningful way, and potentially impact media coverage in the future by building deeper trust between news publishers and the public.
Following our successful beta launch, Our.News plans to unveil additional features in coming months, including a mobile app experience, browser extensions and subject matter expert status.
4 What are the dangers, in your opinion, of falling for fake news?
Knowledge and information are power, we all know that. It’s critical for us to have the facts because the path of our lives is consistently determined by the choices we make. False information and fake news can lead us to make bad decisions or lead to bad public policy. The simple act of sharing false information (or fake news) with friends, colleagues and acquaintances on social media can also damage your reputation, making you appear biased or misinformed — two things none of us want.
5 You started your career as an entrepreneur at the young age of 14. Any advice for teens looking to explore a life in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)?
My passion for all things STEM has always driven me and served as inspiration when I started the first internet service provider in my Ohio hometown. This launched my career as a tech entrepreneur and had a hugely positive impact on my life. I’ve always felt that STEM is an amazing set of fields, and I strongly recommend that anyone interested in exploring it dive in head first, keep learning and never look back. The reality is that a solid STEM foundation will serve you throughout your life, in any career you choose. Once you find the area that you’re most passionate about, learn everything you can about it and practice, practice, practice. Do this long enough and someday you’ll wake up and discover that you you’re an expert.