He Made Billions on Google and PayPal. Now, He’s Betting on News.
He Made Billions on Google and PayPal. Now, He’s Betting on News.

Michael Moritz co-founded The San Francisco Standard, a local news organization. It is acquiring Charter, a start-up focused on the future of work.
Read the full article on NY Times Technology
Truth Analysis
Analysis Summary:
The article's accuracy is mixed. The claim about Michael Moritz founding The San Francisco Standard is plausible but not directly verified by the provided sources. The claim about the acquisition of Charter is also unverified. The connection to Google and PayPal is weakly supported through association with other individuals like Peter Thiel. The article exhibits moderate bias due to a lack of specific details and potential for positive framing of Moritz's endeavors.
Detailed Analysis:
- Claim:** Michael Moritz co-founded The San Francisco Standard.
- Verification Source #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5: *Fail to cover* this claim.
- Internal Knowledge: Plausible given Moritz's history in venture capital and media investments, but requires external verification beyond the provided sources.
- Claim:** The San Francisco Standard is acquiring Charter, a start-up focused on the future of work.
- Verification Source #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5: *Fail to cover* this claim.
- Internal Knowledge: Requires external verification.
- Claim:** He Made Billions on Google and PayPal.
- Verification Source #3 and #5: Mention Peter Thiel as a co-founder of PayPal.
- Verification Source #4: Mentions that Peter Thiel's net worth is estimated between $250 million and $1.5 billion.
- Internal Knowledge: While Moritz is a prominent venture capitalist, the direct connection to "making billions" specifically from Google and PayPal requires more direct evidence. The provided sources only link Peter Thiel to PayPal. The connection to Google is not explicitly supported.
- Bias:** The article presents Moritz's actions in a positive light, framing them as a "bet on news." This could be seen as a form of positive framing, suggesting a potential bias. The lack of specific details about the acquisition and the financial performance of The San Francisco Standard contributes to this perception.
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
- Verification Source #3 and #5: Support the claim that Peter Thiel was a co-founder of PayPal.
- Verification Source #4: Provides estimates of Peter Thiel's net worth, suggesting he made a significant amount of money from PayPal.
- Verification Source #1 and #2: Are irrelevant to the claims made in the article.
- The lack of coverage of the specific claims about Moritz and The San Francisco Standard in the provided sources makes it difficult to assess the factual accuracy definitively.