Stories FAQ
How does Newser select stories to cover?
Newser's story selection is based on a proprietary formula that measures the ubiquity of coverage by the top-ranked 100 English-language news sites; the prominence with which those sites feature the stories; and the popularity of a given story with readers; combined with overlooked points of view, angles and scoops uncovered by our editors.
Who writes Newser summaries?
Newser is staffed with writers and editors who, using tools we developed, receive a constant stream of news 24/7. Editors are experts in one or more areas. They're familiar with the background, sources, reporters, and points of view on each. They make it easy for you -- by finding the best coverage, highlighting the most important information, and distilling it efficiently.
How can I find a story I saw earlier on Newser that's no longer there?
If a story is no longer on the grid, there are three ways to find the story:
- Use the scroll bar on the right side of the grid to scroll down until you find the story.
- If you know what day it ran, look for it by date. Clicking on the date stamp at the top right of the grid will bring up a calendar. Clicking on any date on the calendar will bring up the news for that day.
- You can use the search function at the top of the site to locate the story.
What's on the homepage grid?
The home page offers the Newser editors' selection of news and opinion, including the best stories, stories people are talking about, and compelling features.
What is the "mark stories you've read" feature?
If you are a registered user, Newser can visually guide you to stories you haven't looked at yet. When you visit a story page or read a rollover summary, we mark the square as "read" and shade it gray. Visit your settings page to turn this feature on or off.
What are "sources"?
Sources are links to the full articles Newser writers have selected and summarized. A summary often includes information from several articles on the same subject; in that case it will have multiple sources.
What are the "editor recommended" links?
These links are to other articles selected by our editors to provide different points of view or additional background and information.
What are the "related news" stories?
These Newser stories are previous stories in an ongoing narrative or stories otherwise connected to the main article on the page. You can click "continue reading" to view the entire Newser summary.
What are "tags"?
Tags are used to classify and categorize stories. Clicking on a tag displays all stories with that tag designation.
What is the "next story from this section"?
This link leads to the next most recently published story in the same section.
How can I navigate through all the images?
You can scroll through the pictures using the "prev" and "next" buttons below the image. Press "play" to automatically scroll through the images.
Can I share an article with a friend?
Yes! Click on the "share" link located below the text of the story, which will provide a variety of ways to share our content.
Who can comment on stories?
All registered users are allowed to post comments. You can also sign in using your Facebook, Twitter, or Disqus ID to comment.
I can’t connect using Facebook Connect, what should I do?
If you have trouble logging in with Facebook, visit Facebook.com and login there, then visit Newser.com and click the Facebook Connect button. You should then login seamlessly.
How are comments monitored?
Because Newser cannot review each comment individually, we rely on moderators and other users to monitor comments.
What is a Moderator?
Moderators are users selected by Newser who use the site frequently and behave in a manner consistent with our policies. They have the ability to immediately hide comments that violate our comment policy and restore comments that have been wrongly flagged
What is Newser's comment policy?
Newser’s comment policy encourages healthy debate. Users that repeatedly violate any of the rules below will have their account suspended. We will not allow:
- Comments that are racist, sexist, or downright offensive. We have a no-jerk policy at Newser. Comments of this nature will be immediately removed.
- Comments that target and/or personally insult other Newser commenters. Because this isn't middle school.
- Identical comments posted on multiple stories. Mastering the art of copy and paste isn’t a skill; it’s spam.
- Off-topic discussions. Not everything is a political debate. Comments that are completely off topic or spam-like will be removed.
- Comments in all CAPS. They're obnoxious, so don't do it.
I see an inappropriate comment; what should I do?
Click on "Flag." Users that repeatedly leave inappropriate or
off-topic comments will have their account suspended.
Why has my account been suspended?
We suspend accounts that repeatedly violate our comment policy or terms of use. Also note that if you attempt to impersonate another user by using a derivative of their name or avatar, your account will be immediately suspended.
What are Top Referrers?
Top referrers are sites that have directed the most traffic to a particular story. To become a top referrer, post links to Newser stories on your website.