Is PragerU a Propaganda Engine?
Not an educator, it spends most of its money on ads, marketing, and influence
PragerU is a pseudo-academic educational “foundation” that is gaining ground rapidly under the current Trump Administration. Their mission is stated in two different ways on their 990 filings:
WE PROMOTE AMERICAN VALUES THROUGH THE CREATIVE USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA
PRAGER UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION ("PRAGERU") IS THE WORLD'S LEADING CONSERVATIVE NONPROFIT THAT IS FOCUSED ON CHANGING MINDS. WE PROMOTE AMERICAN VALUES THROUGH THE CREATIVE USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA, AS OUR MISSION
The front page of their 2024 Annual Report looks more religious than scientific:
There are excellent analyses emerging about the scientific misinformation they are promulgating. One from the McGill University Office for Science and Society is worth reading, and a podcast from the “Conspirituality” team is also worth a listen.
By following the money to an extent, I’m going to take a different look at PragerU, not arguing whether it is or is not an educational foundation aligned with science and knowledge — it clearly is not — but examining what it might really be, which is a digital marketing . . . I mean, political influence and propaganda . . . firm in disguise.