Parents' Guide to

Ground News

By Ana Beltran, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Compare coverage of current events and control for bias.

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android Free to try News
Ground News Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • Ground News: Screenshot #1
  • Ground News: Screenshot #2
  • Ground News: Screenshot #3
  • Ground News: Screenshot #4
  • Ground News: Screenshot #5

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Privacy Rating Warning

  • Unclear whether personal information is sold or rented to third parties.
  • Personal information is not shared for third-party marketing.
  • Personalised advertising is displayed.
  • Data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • User's information is used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Data profiles are not created and used for personalised advertisements.
Learn more about our privacy ratings

What’s It About?

GROUND NEWS presents readers with news from different sources and allows users to filter news coverage based on political bias, time, location, and interest. Readers can scroll through the news feed on the home page to find a headline they want to explore further. All stories are tagged based on political bias. The map feature serves as a geographic filter, allowing users to see news coverage based on location. Readers can access local, national, or international news. The discover page offers a collection of news categories to explore. Tapping on a headline presents users with sources covering the story and a coverage analysis that provides a snapshot of news coverage across political spectrum, time, and location. Tapping on a source's icon takes readers directly to the news article on the source's page. The app offers automatic translation of articles into the reader's preferred language. Although the app is free, a subscription is required after the week-long trial to enjoy the app's unique features, including the coverage analysis and other comparison tools.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1 ):

Teens and adults will enjoy this easy to navigate platform that presents news coverage in a way that promotes news literacy. The design of the app aims to help readers see beyond the political hype and sensationalism. By labeling news coverage with perceived political bias and providing analysis that shows how sources across the political spectrum cover current events, Ground News lets readers compare, analyze, and draw conclusions. Having access to a range of sources not only allows readers to see how bias impacts coverage, it also encourages greater awareness and informed decision making. Those seeking to be more critical consumers of news will appreciate the filters and comparison tools. The map feature is a great tool to narrow or broaden readers' scope. Zooming into a specific location provides links to local news, while zooming out pin points trending articles from around the world. This feature is a great way to explore and access news readers would normally not tune into. The discover tool is another neat feature that encourages readers to explore news relevant to different categories or topics. Overall, Ground News is a comprehensive app that combines effective comparison tools and links to a wide collection of news sources. Not only does the app seek to promote greater consumer awareness, by providing a bias analysis based on browsing trends, it also seeks to make readers more aware of their own personal biases. Reader's curiosity and desire to be informed drives the app; however, readers can also use the filters to access news that only aligns with their existing bias.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about liberal, conservative, and middle of the road views and how perspective can influence journalists and news sources while using Ground News. Understanding the bias that influences news coverage will help kids ask questions about the information they see and help them draw their own conclusions.

  • Invite kids to talk about the news they are following. Conversation can help kids contextualize news coverage and help them process their own ideas.

App Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended app lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate