How It Works

A Platform for Contextualizing the News

Unvarnished is a platform to find, read, and share context for the news. Evidence about a particular topic is organized into concise and clear threads that illuminate an argument. We’re starting with quotations and images, but will be adding more evidence types as we grow.

Open to All

Everyone can read, share, and comment on threads. There is no paywall and you don’t need an account.

Anyone can author threads with a free account. We know that experts can come from all walks of life, and that the strength of the evidence is more important than someone’s paper credentials or partisan alignment.

Simple Thread Authoring

To author a thread, register for a free account with a username, email address, and password.

To create a thread, enter a title, description, and the supporting evidence. Add a “Deep Dive” entry if you want to point readers to additional context. Save as a draft to finish later, or submit for review if the thread is complete.

Validated Context

Unvarnished reviews every thread before publishing, validating that sources are authentic and that framing is honest.

And we will be growing our review processes over time, adding community and expert reviews. Most social media has abdicated responsibility, so their “digital town squares” are full of raving lunatics. Unvarnished believes that accuracy is not only compatible with a rapid news cycle but essential to trust and understanding.