LifeSiteNews

LifeSiteNews (or simply LifeSite) is a Canadian Catholic conservative anti-abortion advocacy website and news publication. LifeSiteNews has published misleading information and conspiracy theories, and in 2021, was banned from some social media platforms for spreading COVID-19 misinformation.

LifeSiteNews
Logo text reads "LifeSite". "Life" is in white block caps over a turquoise circle, "site" is in turquoise block caps beside the circle.
Logo
Screenshot
Screenshot of the homepage of LifeSiteNews, showing headlines, a featured video, and navigation content.
Homepage in May 2021
Type of site
Advocacy and news publication
Available inEnglish
Founded1997 (1997)
Country of originCanada
Founder(s)Campaign Life Coalition
EditorJohn-Henry Westen
PresidentSteve Jalsevac
URLwww.lifesitenews.com
Current statusActive

History

LifeSiteNews was founded in 1997 by the Canadian political lobbyist organization Campaign Life Coalition with the intent to promote anti-abortion views.[1] At a 2013 March for Life Youth Conference in Ottawa, founder and editor-in-chief John-Henry Westen alleged there was a media conspiracy against the anti-abortion movement, and said that the purpose of LifeSiteNews was to circumvent the mainstream media.[1]

A Catholic priest and former member of the Canadian Parliament, Raymond Gravel, filed a defamation lawsuit in Quebec against the website in 2011. He claimed that the site's description of his self-described pro-choice views as "pro-abortion" was libelous, and sought CA$500,000 in damages.[2] LifeSiteNews had published 41 articles about Gravel as of February 2013.[3] In 2013, the lawsuit was allowed to advance to trial by a Quebec court.[3][4] Gravel died of lung cancer on August 11, 2014.[5]

LifeSiteNews claimed in 2018 to have a readership of 20 million. Its editor-in-chief is John-Henry Westen, and the president is Steve Jalsevac. The Campaign Life Coalition no longer runs LifeSiteNews, though the two groups share some board members.[6]

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LifeSiteNews was founded for the purpose of opposing legal abortion, and that remains a primary focus.[7] It also regularly publishes articles expressing opposition to contraception, homosexuality,[8] and transgender rights,[9][10] and its website names euthanasia and cloning among other issues it opposes.[11] A Catholic publication, many of its articles are faith-related.[10][12] It has published many articles critical of Pope Francis,[13][14][15] and regularly publishes writing by critics of Francis including Italian archbishop, former Vatican diplomat, and conspiracy theorist Carlo Maria Viganò[14][16][17] and Cardinal Raymond Burke.[18]

LifeSiteNews has been described as far-right,[6][14][19] conservative,[11][20][21] social conservative,[6] and ultraconservative.[22][8][17][12]

Fact-checking website Snopes described LifeSiteNews in 2016 as "a known purveyor of misleading information".[23] Paul Moses wrote for Commonweal in 2021 that LifeSiteNews coverage "feigns journalistic accuracy, but misleads through omission".[14] The Canadian Anti-Hate Network described the website in a 2021 report as a "Christian version of Breitbart".[6]

Political Research Associates analyst Heron Greenesmith categorized LifeSiteNews to NBC News in September 2019 as a member of the "Christian-right anti-transgender disinformation ecosystem" and stated, "LifeSite platforms the small number of anti-trans researchers, academics, and right-wing professional associations, giving their work a veneer of scientific validity".[10] Brennan Suen of the watchdog group Media Matters for America said that LifeSite "typically refuses to acknowledge transgender identities and serially misgenders trans folk in its coverage", and that it "refers to the abhorrent practice of conversion therapy as treating 'unwanted homosexual attraction.'"[9] Moses wrote in Commonweal that the site spread confusion about COVID-19, and that their coverage "is so slanted that anyone relying on it would be terribly misled on what the science shows".[14]

LifeSiteNews regularly publishes conspiracy theories.[7][24][25] The site has published misleading claims about Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and articles supportive of the "Stop the Steal" campaign with the same goal.[26][6] Some articles on the website use the tag "New World Order",[6] the name of a conspiracy theory which hypothesizes a secretly emerging totalitarian world government.[25]

LifeSiteNews has published misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.[27][28][29][30][31] In November 2022, LifeSiteNews promoted the anti-vaccine film Died Suddenly.[32]

Social media bans

LifeSiteNews' Twitter accounts have been temporarily suspended at least four times since 2018; once in error, twice for violating rules against "targeted misgendering or deadnaming of transgender individuals", and once for violating rules against spreading COVID-19 misinformation.[8][33][34]

LifeSiteNews' YouTube channel was banned in February 2021 for persistently promoting COVID-19 misinformation. One video claimed that COVID-19 was "the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on an unsuspecting public". Another promoted anti-vaccine sentiment, cast doubt on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, and stated that COVID-19 "isn't really killing people right and left that weren't probably gonna die within the year anyway". These claims contradicted the scientific consensus and reports from authorities like the World Health Organization, and violated YouTube policies on promotion of health misinformation.[35]

LifeSiteNews was permanently banned from Facebook in May 2021 for violations of policies prohibiting COVID-19 misinformation.[12][36] According to LifeSiteNews, Facebook said the ban was related to their policy of removing anti-vaccination accounts, and a Facebook spokesperson allegedly accused LifeSiteNews of disseminating "false information about COVID-19 that could contribute to physical harm".[12] A joint statement signed by Media Matters for America, GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, and NARAL Pro-Choice America said they had collected and reported to Facebook over 100 posts by LifeSiteNews that allegedly spread COVID-19 and vaccine-related misinformation. They added that they believed Facebook should have banned the group "years ago" for using the platform to "push its noxious anti-LGBTQ and anti-choice extremism".[37][38][39]

See also

References
  1. Saurette, Paul; Gordon, Kelly (2016). The Changing Voice of the Anti-Abortion Movement. University of Toronto Press. p. 172. ISBN 9781442615694.
  2. "Two Solitudes: Lawsuit pits rebel Quebec priest against hardline pro-life news service". National Post. 5 March 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  3. Bunderson, Carl (21 February 2013). "Controversial Priest's Lawsuit Against LifeSiteNews Advances". National Catholic Register. Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  4. Langan, Fred (11 August 2014). "Activist priest Raymond Gravel preached gospel of tolerance". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  5. "Father Raymond Gravel, outspoken social activist, dies". CBC News. 11 August 2014. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  6. "The biggest Canadian far-right news site you probably haven't heard of". Canadaland. 22 February 2021. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  7. Posner, Sarah (25 March 2021). "QAnon and the Assault on Planned Parenthood". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 27 March 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  8. Ring, Trudy (19 October 2018). "Right-Wing Site Blocked From Twitter for Laughably Antigay Article". The Advocate. Archived from the original on 16 February 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  9. Ring, Trudy (20 August 2018). "Meet LifeSite News, One of the Most Anti-LGBTQ Online Outlets". The Advocate. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  10. Fitzsimons, Tim (27 September 2019). "A viral fake news story linked trans health care to 'thousands' of deaths". NBC News. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  11. Boorstein, Michelle (30 August 2018). "Former Vatican ambassador's explosive letter reveals influence of conservative Catholic media network". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 4 March 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  12. Jenkins, Jack (6 May 2021). "LifeSiteNews removed from Facebook for violating COVID-19 misinformation policies". Religion News Service. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  13. Pullella, Philip (1 May 2019). "Conservatives want Catholic bishops to denounce pope as heretic". Reuters. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  14. Moses, Paul (13 March 2021). "Sins of Omission". Commonweal. Archived from the original on 14 March 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  15. "Pope Francis in Ireland: Call for Resignation Further Clouds Visit". The New York Times. 26 August 2018. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  16. Boorstein, Michelle (10 June 2020). "Trump praises Italian archbishop who urges him to fight 'deep state' protests". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 20 March 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  17. Dickson, Caitlin (31 October 2020). "'A global conspiracy against God and humanity': Controversial Catholic archbishop pushes QAnon themes in letter to Trump". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  18. Pullella, Philip (30 August 2018). "Conservative media move to front line of battle to undermine Pope Francis". Reuters. Archived from the original on 5 August 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  19. Joyce, Kathryn (30 October 2020). "How QAnon and Trumpism Have Revealed a Deep Church Schism Among Catholics". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  20. Horowitz, Jason (1 September 2018). "Pope Francis' Accuser Turns Up the Pressure With More Accusations". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  21. Budryk, Zack (1 May 2019). "Conservative Catholics accuse Pope Francis of heresy". The Hill. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  22. Winfield, Nicole (9 September 2018). "Sanctions, sex abuse and silence: A primer on the pope saga". The Associated Press. Archived from the original on 30 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  23. Lacapria, Kim (3 June 2016). "Fact Check: ACLU Director Resigns Over Transgender Bathroom Policy". Snopes. Archived from the original on 14 October 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  24. Durkin, Tish (21 October 2020). "The Catholics Who Hate Joe Biden—And Pope Francis". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 7 January 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  25. Camp, Gregory S. (1997). Selling Fear: Conspiracy Theories and End-Times Paranoia. Baker Publishing Group. ISBN 9780801057212.
  26. Swenson, Ali (12 February 2021). "Skewed data fuel questionable claim on Trump election lawsuits". The Associated Press. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  27. Baudoin-Laarman, Louis (3 March 2021). "Kentucky monastery Covid-19 cases not evidence of vaccine problems". Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  28. "Byram Bridle's claim that COVID-19 vaccines are toxic fails to account for key differences between the spike protein produced during infection and vaccination, misrepresents studies". Health Feedback. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  29. "No scientific evidence for claim by pathologist Ryan Cole that COVID-19 vaccines weaken the immune system". Health Feedback. 27 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  30. "Contrary to claims in a LifeSiteNews article, COVID-19 vaccination makes it less likely for someone to get COVID-19". Health Feedback. 9 October 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  31. Vitelli, Laura (28 January 2022). "False: COVID-19 vaccines have caused a large number of miscarriages and stillbirths". Logically. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  32. "The film "Died Suddenly" rehashes debunked claims and conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 vaccines". Health Feedback. 29 November 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  33. Richardson, Valerie (29 March 2020). "Twitter pressed to restore pro-life account locked for calling transgender activist 'him'". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  34. "Twitter suspends LifeSite for covering Israeli COVID vaccine data". LifeSiteNews. 2 March 2021. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  35. Sherman, Carter (11 February 2021). "YouTube Just Banned a Popular Anti-Abortion Channel for COVID Conspiracies". Vice News. Archived from the original on 20 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021. "In accordance with our longstanding strikes system, we terminated the channel LifeSiteNews Media for repeatedly violating our COVID-19 misinformation policy, which prohibits content that promotes prevention methods that contradict local health authorities or WHO", Ivy Choi, a YouTube spokesperson, told VICE News in an email".
  36. Bibi, Elizabeth (7 May 2021). "Media Matters, GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, and NARAL react to Facebook's permanent ban of LifeSiteNews". Human Rights Campaign. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  37. "Media Matters, GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, and NARAL react to Facebook's permanent ban of LifeSiteNews". Media Matters for America. 7 May 2021. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  38. "NARAL head brags about helping remove pro-life LifeSiteNews from Facebook". Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  39. Holmes, Juwan J. (7 May 2021). "Christian extremist outlet LifeSiteNews finally booted from Facebook". LGBTQ Nation. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
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