Bad Faith Actors
Media figures and organizations that systematically spread misinformation, undermine democratic institutions, and prioritize partisan propaganda over truth. Understanding these actors is essential for media literacy.
Bad Faith
Rush Limbaugh
The Rush Limbaugh Show / Premiere Networks
"The most influential conservative talk radio host in American history — who used his platform to spread disinformation, attack democratic institutions, and vilify marginalized groups for three decades."
Rush Limbaugh was the pioneering force behind modern conservative talk radio. For 33 years, his nationally syndicated program reached an estimated 15 million listeners weekly, making him one of the...
Bad Faith
Fox News
Fox Corporation / News Corp
"The most watched cable news network in America which has repeatedly been shown to prioritize partisan propaganda over factual reporting, with a 787.5 million defamation settlement for lying about election fraud."
Fox News launched in 1996 with the slogan fair and balanced and went on to become the dominant force in cable news. Under the leadership of Roger Ailes, the network pioneered a model of conservativ...
Bad Faith
Alex Jones
Infowars
"The most prolific conspiracy theorist in modern American media whose broadcasts caused real-world harm, including the Sandy Hook defamation cases that resulted in over 1.5 billion in court judgments."
Alex Jones is the founder and former host of Infowars, a far-right media platform known for promoting elaborate conspiracy theories. Over two decades, Jones claimed the 9/11 attacks were an inside ...
Bad Faith
Steve Bannon
War Room / Breitbart News
"Architect of "flood the zone with shit" — weaponizing information overload to erode shared truth."
Stephen K. Bannon is a former executive chairman of Breitbart News and former White House chief strategist (2017). After leaving the White House, he built the War Room podcast and an international ...
Bad Faith
PragerU
Prager University Foundation
"Presents itself as a university while producing advocacy content viewed billions of times by young people."
PragerU (Prager University) was founded in 2009 by conservative radio host Dennis Prager. Despite its name, it is not an accredited university and issues no degrees — it is a nonprofit that produce...
Bad Faith
Occupy Democrats
Occupy Democrats / Grant Stern
"Left-wing viral clickbait empire repeatedly flagged as one of Facebooks top sources of false political content."
Occupy Democrats is a left-wing partisan website and Facebook page founded in 2012 that became one of the most-shared political publishers on Facebook. Despite its popularity, multiple independent ...
Bad Faith
Palmer Report
Palmer Report / Bill Palmer
"Left-wing conspiracy blog infamous for bombshell claims that never pan out — teaching students that wishful thinking is not reporting."
The Palmer Report is a liberal political blog founded by Bill Palmer that gained a large following during the Trump era by publishing sensational claims framed as insider scoops. Its headlines rout...
Why Documenting Bad Faith Actors Matters
Media literacy requires understanding not just how to evaluate information, but who is actively working to mislead the public. This directory documents the most influential bad faith actors in American media — those who have systemically undermined the trust that democratic citizenship depends on.
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