Alternative Information Sources

This category lists sites that provide information about alternatives to the mainstream news media. Possible examples would be organizations that present extended coverage of minority views, provide opportunities for citizen journalism, promote activism and social causes, expose biased reporting, and work for truth in advertising.

AlterNet - This site offers original journalism and utilizes the best of other independent news sources. The aim is to promote citizen action on the environment, social justice, human rights, civil and religious liberties, and health care issues. The site also provides a forum for media skeptics and minority voices to present their views.

Disinformation - This website fills the needs of people who are looking for information on current affairs, politics, fringe science and the "hidden information" that seldom seems to slip through the cracks of the huge media conglomerates. It aggregates thousands of the most shocking, weirdest and offbeat news articles, podcasts and videos that can be found on the web, the majority of them submitted by the general public.

Common Dreams - On this site a community of activists, writers, and ordinary citizens provides breaking news from a progressive perspective, concentrating on the kind of information that is hard to find in the current corporate-dominated media. One of the goals of the site is to highlight the problems of United States society and to point the way to possible solutions.

Unknown News - This site specializes in lesser known stories that are often overlooked or intentionally avoided by the mainstream news organizations. The site includes an extensive archive of previously-published stories arranged by by subject matter. There are also sections for political cartoons, births and deaths, and letters to the editor.

Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting - This national media watch group has been reporting on media censorship and bias since 1986. It works to promote balanced news coverage of political, economic, and religious issues, and it opposes attempts by governments and corporations to interfere or suppress particular stories. It also supports the rights of journalists to protect their confidential sources. The organization publishes Extra, a magazine of media criticism, and produces the radio program Counter Spin, which delves into the news behind the headlines.

News of the Weird Website - The online home of the News of the Weird newspaper column reports a fresh batch of strange stories every week. Here you can read about amazingly dumb criminals, people with odd psychological conditions and bizarre beliefs, crazy business ventures, absurd situations, and numerous other funny stories. Various sister sites have additional stories of specific types. You can also search an archive of strange events from the past.

WikiLeaks [Active link has been removed} - This website allows anyone to be a whistle-blower by leaking documents, videos or photographs while remaining anonymous. Visitors to the site will see a large link that says "submit documents." Anything submitted is reviewed by a network of editors before being posted online. The website is operated by an organization called Sunshine Press and is supported by public donations. According to the about page, the mission is to promote political reforms by releasing suppressed information, but some of the published material has created considerable controversy, and the site has also been criticized by some United States officials as posing a threat to national security. Because of pressure from certain governments, the operators of the site have had difficulties in finding a reliable hosting service.

ReligionLink - The main purpose of Religion Link is to provide resources which help journalists write about religion with accuracy and balance. Special sections of the site include a source guide to atheism and humanism, a guide to mega churches, a study of the abortion debate, an analysis of religion's role in the military, an article about evangelicals and politics in the United States, and sections about Islam. Buddhism, and Judaism. There are also reports on latest religion events. The material is meant to be independent of any religious or political viewpoints.

Media Matters - In recent years many people have become aware that some news organizations intentionally disseminate mis-information to the American public in order to influence opinions about political, social, and religious issues. Media Matters attempts to combat these deceptions by researching, and publicly correcting mis-information as quickly as possible after it appears. To achieve this goal, its researchers constantly monitor print, television, radio, and Internet media outlets for inaccurate statements and misleading commentary. When errors are detected, notifications are sent to activists, journalists, and the general public. The organization also publishes in-depth research reports on controversial issues.

Truth Out - The main goal of this website is to expose the lies and misinformation put out by dishonest political, social, and religious organizations. The reporters on the site monitor the public pronouncements of various groups and conduct investigations aimed at uncovering the real truth. Attempts are also made to identify and expose secret monetary comtributions given to political campaigns by corporations and wealthy individuals.

Global Voices Online - As a form of indirect censorship, corporate-controlled media organizations sometimes intentionally ignore or under-report certain news stories for political, cultural, or economic reasons. In an attempt to counteract this hidden censorship, the Global Voices international community of more than 500 volunteer citizen reporters tries to publicize important news reports that would otherwise be disregarded. Because many of these reports come from third-world countries, they often throw light on societies that people in advanced countries aren't very knowledgeable about. Over time this should lead to better mutual understanding between peoples of different backgrounds and cultures.

Other Categories

• Weird Beliefs
  This page includes definitions of some of the weirdest and most unusual beliefs which have been noted in different cultures. It also describes the strange rituals that can be observed in many traditional religions. Examples include the use of sacred mushrooms, the practice of snake handling, head-hunting and head shrinking, and the belief in demonic possession.
• Atheist Websites
  In addition to websites, this page contains links to some individual articles that promote an atheistic view of the world. Many of these sites and articles voice opposition to traditional religious organizations.
• Religious Dissent
  This page lists websites that express skepticism toward the beliefs and practices of major established religious groups. It also includes sites that promote the beliefs of small lesser-known groups, atheists, and agnostics. Some sites may also examine the influence of religion in society, media, and politics.
• Skeptical View Websites
  This page lists websites which take a skeptical view of majority opinions or put forward counter-arguments to everyday beliefs. This can include commonly-accepted ideas about political agendas, religious practices, and social policies. Some of the sites listed on this page fall into the categories of new atheism and anti-christian.
• Glossary
  Definitions of various religious terms can be found in this list. Examples include sect, devil worship, witch hunt, scripture, atheist, and various other terms commonly used in discussions of the belief systems found in different societies around the world.
• Politics
  Many of these sites support controversial political positions or candidates. Some of these sites also call for the removal of restrictions on voting rights.
• Other Resources
  Other useful online resources can be found here. These include some of the top encyclopedias, dictionaries, directories, and reference materials.
• More Resources
  This page provides links to some additional resources.

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The Other Voices Directory of Dissent is a non-commercial website which contains no advertisements and offers no products for sale. In web directories, the site is usually listed in the categories of society, social issues, activism, religion, skepticism, dissent, or niche directories.