Evaluating Sources

The reason(s) for a publication's existence can give you a clue to possible biases. 

Many websites have multiple reasons to publish content...

To make money

Creating an interface with clickbait lures

Creating a pool of likely customers for advertisers and recruiters.

Promote a business.

To create controversy: 

Getting people emotional (makes it easier to manipulate them)

To highlight a social injustice

Venting and posturing. 

To Educate

Students make websites and blogs as part of their education

Improve taxpayer health and productivity

To Advocate

To promote ideas

Socialization

Support groups

Tribalization

To improve communication: Letting people know of safety issues, or publishing information for the common good, improves the society you live in.

To sell you an idea: Sometimes it isn't a "thing" that is being "sold",  but an idea.

Vanity Press: To prey upon unsuspecting or desperate people by offering to publish their work for a fee.  The press makes their money off the authors instead of from marketing the content. When something is published for a fee, regardless of quality, it is considered a vanity press publication and is not respected as much as works published through a publisher with a good reputation.

People seek security through power or status.

• What increases a publisher's power? 
• What increases a publisher's status?

Predators often prey upon people's emotions, ignorance, or vanity.