BuzzFeed

File:Jonah-peretti.jpg founded BuzzFeed in November 2006.]]

Prior to establishing BuzzFeed, Peretti was director of research and development and the OpenLab at Eyebeam, Johnson's New York City-based art and technology nonprofit organization, where he experimented with other viral media.{{cite web|url=https://eyebeam.org/people/jonah-peretti|title=Jonah Peretti – eyebeam.org |work=eyebeam.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930093044/https://eyebeam.org/people/jonah-peretti |archive-date=September 30, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://gothamist.com/2005/06/04/jonah_peretti_director_of_rd_at_eyebeam.php |title=Jonah Peretti, Director of R&D at Eyebeam |date=June 4, 2005 |last=Chung |first=Jen |work=Gothamist|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929103028/http://gothamist.com/2005/06/04/jonah_peretti_director_of_rd_at_eyebeam.php|archive-date=September 29, 2015}}

In 2006, while working at the Huffington Post, Peretti started BuzzFeed (originally called BuzzFeed Laboratories){{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2018/01/01/574073721/our-mental-space-under-attack |title=Our Mental Space, Under Attack |work=NPR.org |access-date=January 25, 2018 |date=January 1, 2018 |archive-date=January 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130161524/https://www.npr.org/2018/01/01/574073721/our-mental-space-under-attack |url-status=live }} as a side project, in partnership with his former supervisor John Johnson. In the beginning, BuzzFeed employed no writers or editors, just an "algorithm to cull stories from around the web that were showing stirrings of virality."{{cite news |last=Rice |first=Andrew |url=https://nymag.com/news/features/buzzfeed-2013-4/ |title=Does BuzzFeed Know the Secret? |work=New York |date=April 7, 2013 |access-date=March 31, 2017 |archive-date=April 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428095127/http://nymag.com/news/features/buzzfeed-2013-4/ |url-status=live }} The site initially launched an instant messaging client, BuzzBot, which sent users a link to popular content. The messages were sent based on algorithms which examined the links that were being quickly disseminated, scouring through the feeds of hundreds of blogs that were aggregating them{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}}. Later, the site began spotlighting the most popular links that BuzzBot found. Peretti hired curators to help describe the content that was popular around the web. In 2011, Peretti hired Politico's Ben Smith, who earlier had achieved much attention as a political blogger, to assemble a news operation in addition to the many aggregated "listicles".{{Cite news |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/12/mystery-team-recruited-ben-smith-buzzfeed/334422/ |title=The Mystery Team That Recruited Ben Smith to BuzzFeed |last=Estes |first=Adam Clark |work=The Atlantic |access-date=January 25, 2018 |archive-date=January 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125193652/https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/12/mystery-team-recruited-ben-smith-buzzfeed/334422/ |url-status=live }}

In 2016, BuzzFeed formally separated its news and entertainment content into BuzzFeed News and the newly formed BuzzFeed Entertainment Group, which also includes BuzzFeed Motion Pictures.{{cite web |last1=Fox |first1=Emily Jane |title=Exclusive: BuzzFeed Is Dividing in Company-Wide Reorganization |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/08/buzzfeed-news-entertainment-reorganization |website=The Hive |publisher=Vanity Fair |date=August 23, 2016 |access-date=January 8, 2018 |archive-date=July 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713102530/http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/08/buzzfeed-news-entertainment-reorganization |url-status=live }}{{cite web|last1=Mullin|first1=Benjamin|title=BuzzFeed undergoes company-wide reorganization, separating entertainment from news|url=https://www.poynter.org/news/buzzfeed-undergoes-company-wide-reorganization-separating-entertainment-news|website=Poynter|date=August 23, 2016|access-date=January 8, 2018|archive-date=January 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108174840/https://www.poynter.org/news/buzzfeed-undergoes-company-wide-reorganization-separating-entertainment-news|url-status=live}} {{As of|2016}}, BuzzFeed had correspondents from 12 countries,{{cite news |last=Robischon |first=Noah |title=BuzzFeed's Quest For Impact In The Viral News Era |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3056365/buzzfeeds-quest-for-impact-in-the-viral-news-era |work=Fast Company |date=February 22, 2016 |access-date=January 1, 2018 |archive-date=January 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101140057/https://www.fastcompany.com/3056365/buzzfeeds-quest-for-impact-in-the-viral-news-era |url-status=live }} and foreign editions in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom.{{cite web|title=BuzzFeed's International Editions|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeedinternational/buzzfeed-international-editions|website=BuzzFeed|access-date=January 1, 2018|language=en|date=September 23, 2016|archive-date=January 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101194546/https://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeedinternational/buzzfeed-international-editions|url-status=live}} {{As of|alt=By the end of 2017|2017}}, BuzzFeed employed around 1,700 employees worldwide, although it announced plans in November of that year to lay off around 100 employees in the US, 45 in the UK,{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|title=BuzzFeed is laying off 100 workers, 8% of its U.S. employees, after missing revenue target|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-buzzfeed-layoffs-20171129-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|date=September 21, 2020|access-date=September 21, 2020|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027064448/https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-buzzfeed-layoffs-20171129-story.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Pallotta|first1=Frank|title=BuzzFeed to cut staff as it reorganizes its business side|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/11/29/media/buzzfeed-layoffs/index.html|work=CNNMoney|date=November 29, 2017|access-date=August 3, 2020|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109001926/https://money.cnn.com/2017/11/29/media/buzzfeed-layoffs/index.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Bond|first1=Shannon|title=BuzzFeed to cut nearly a third of its UK staff in reorganisation|url=https://www.ft.com/content/22b9134c-cb9e-3586-b285-f44cc6499977|work=Financial Times|date=December 7, 2017|access-date=January 1, 2018|archive-date=January 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101082355/https://www.ft.com/content/22b9134c-cb9e-3586-b285-f44cc6499977|url-status=live}} and 100 in France in June 2018.{{cite news |first=Alexandre |last=Piquard |title=" BuzzFeed " veut licencier 100 % de son équipe en France et y cesser son activité |language=fr |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/actualite-medias/article/2018/06/07/buzzfeed-veut-licencier-100-de-son-equipe-en-france-et-cesser-son-activite_5311200_3236.html |work=Le Monde |date=June 7, 2018 |access-date=January 18, 2019 |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212075020/https://www.lemonde.fr/actualite-medias/article/2018/06/07/buzzfeed-veut-licencier-100-de-son-equipe-en-france-et-cesser-son-activite_5311200_3236.html |url-status=live }}

On January 23, 2019, BuzzFeed notified all employees via memo that there would be an upcoming 15% reduction in workforce affecting the international, web content, and news divisions of the company. The layoffs would affect approximately 200 employees.{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Edmund |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/23/business/media/buzzfeed-layoffs.html |title=BuzzFeed Plans Layoffs as It Aims to Turn Profit |work=The New York Times |date=January 23, 2019 |access-date=January 25, 2019 |archive-date=January 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124222004/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/23/business/media/buzzfeed-layoffs.html |url-status=live }} In 2020, BuzzFeed signed a deal with Universal Television to produce content based on its stories.{{Cite web|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=August 25, 2020|title=Buzzfeed Inks First-Look Deal With Universal TV; Sets First Project With Jenna Bans & Erika Green|url=https://deadline.com/2020/08/buzzfeed-first-look-deal-universal-tv-first-project-jenna-bans-erika-green-1203022955/|access-date=August 26, 2020|website=Deadline|language=en|archive-date=August 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200825220300/https://deadline.com/2020/08/buzzfeed-first-look-deal-universal-tv-first-project-jenna-bans-erika-green-1203022955/|url-status=live}}

Three top BuzzFeed News editors in March 2022 announced that they would be resigning and the newsroom would face voluntary layoffs or job cuts.{{Cite magazine |date=2022-03-22 |title=BuzzFeed News Editor in Chief Resigns Amid Company-Wide Job Cuts |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/03/buzzfeed-news-editor-in-chief-resigns-amid-company-wide-job-cuts |access-date=2022-04-11 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US |archive-date=March 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327021928/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/03/buzzfeed-news-editor-in-chief-resigns-amid-company-wide-job-cuts |url-status=live }} The cuts came after BuzzFeed investors encouraged Peretti to shut down all of BuzzFeed News, but he refused, CNBC reported.{{Cite web |last=Sherman |first=Alex |date=2022-03-22 |title=BuzzFeed investors have pushed CEO Jonah Peretti to shut down entire newsroom, sources say |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/22/buzzfeed-investors-have-pushed-ceo-jonah-peretti-to-shut-down-newsroom.html |access-date=2022-04-11 |website=CNBC|language=en |archive-date=April 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220411223132/https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/22/buzzfeed-investors-have-pushed-ceo-jonah-peretti-to-shut-down-newsroom.html |url-status=live }}

{{update section|date=March 2019|reason=advertising information from 2012 and expansion plans from 2015}}

BuzzFeed raised $3.5 million in 2008 through Hearst Ventures and SoftBank.{{Cite web|url=https://adage.com/article/special-report-digital-alist-2012/ad-age-digital-a-list-buzzfeed/232925|title=Ad Age Digital A-List: Buzzfeed|date=February 27, 2012|website=adage.com|language=en|access-date=September 29, 2019|archive-date=September 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929032549/https://adage.com/article/special-report-digital-alist-2012/ad-age-digital-a-list-buzzfeed/232925|url-status=live}} In 2011, BuzzFeed ran more than 100 social media campaigns, resulting in their revenue tripling compared to 2010. In January 2012, BuzzFeed announced that it had earned $15.5 million in funding from New Enterprise Associates, Lerer Ventures, Hearst Interactive Media, SoftBank, and RRE Capital to expand the site's content.{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/01/09/viral-aggregator-buzzfeed-raises-15-5m-to-transform-the-way-people-get-their-news/|title=Viral Aggregator BuzzFeed Raises $15.5M To Transform The Way People Get Their News|website=TechCrunch|date=January 9, 2012|language=en-US|access-date=September 29, 2019|archive-date=April 23, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423172423/https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/this-week-in-apps-splash-2023.webp?w=600&h=347&crop=1|url-status=live}} Later, in October 2012, BuzzFeed ran sponsored content for the Obama administration leading to an increase in ad revenue.{{Cite web|url=https://www.niemanlab.org/2012/10/buzzfeed-adapts-its-branded-content-approach-to-political-advertising-and-obamas-in/|title=BuzzFeed adapts its branded content approach to political advertising, and Obama's in|website=Nieman Lab|access-date=September 29, 2019|archive-date=September 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929032553/https://www.niemanlab.org/2012/10/buzzfeed-adapts-its-branded-content-approach-to-political-advertising-and-obamas-in/|url-status=live}} By January 2013, BuzzFeed announced that New Enterprise Associates had raised $19.3 million.{{Cite web|url=https://www.adweek.com/digital/buzzfeed-lands-193-million-funding-round-146228/|title=BuzzFeed Lands $19.3 Million Funding Round|last=Warzel|date=January 3, 2013|first=Charlie|website=www.adweek.com|language=en-US|access-date=September 29, 2019|archive-date=September 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929221111/https://www.adweek.com/digital/buzzfeed-lands-193-million-funding-round-146228/|url-status=live}} The company was reported to be profitable in 2013.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/04/the-eternal-return-of-buzzfeed/390270/|title=The Eternal Return of BuzzFeed|last=Meyer|first=Adrienne LaFrance and Robinson|date=April 15, 2015|work=The Atlantic|access-date=September 29, 2019|issn=1072-7825|archive-date=April 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407082103/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/04/the-eternal-return-of-buzzfeed/390270/|url-status=live}}

In 2014, it was reported that BuzzFeed had passed $100 million in revenue.{{Cite web|url=http://politi.co/21qgjEd|title=Buzzfeed passes $100 M. in revenue for 2014|last=Weprin|first=Alex|website=Politico|date=November 25, 2014 |language=en|access-date=September 29, 2019|archive-date=April 23, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423172408/https://www.politico.com/media/story/2014/11/buzzfeed-passes-100-m-in-revenue-for-2014-003140/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|date=2016-11-21|title=NBCUniversal doubles stake in BuzzFeed with $200 million investment|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-buzzfeed-equityfinancing-idUSKBN13G27V|access-date=2021-03-11|archive-date=March 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328083446/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-buzzfeed-equityfinancing-idUSKBN13G27V|url-status=live}} In August 2014, BuzzFeed raised $50 million from the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, more than doubling previous rounds of funding.{{cite web |url=https://money.cnn.com/2014/08/10/media/buzzfeed-funding/ |title=BuzzFeed raises another $50 million to fund expansion |publisher=CNN|access-date=August 29, 2014 |date=August 10, 2014 |archive-date=August 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140815093417/http://money.cnn.com/2014/08/10/media/buzzfeed-funding/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Mandaro |first=Laura |title=BuzzFeed receives $50 million from Andreessen Horowitz |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/08/11/andreessen-horowitz-buzzfeed-50-million/13884125/ |access-date=2024-03-18 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} The site was reportedly valued at around $850 million by Andreessen Horowitz. BuzzFeed generates its advertising revenue through native advertising that matches its editorial content, and does not rely on banner ads.{{cite news |last1=Shontell |first1=Alyson |date=December 11, 2012 |title=Inside BuzzFeed: The Story of How Jonah Peretti Built the Web's Most Beloved New Media Brand |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/buzzfeed-jonah-peretti-interview-2012-12 |work=Business Insider |access-date=October 24, 2014 |archive-date=October 29, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151029050729/http://www.businessinsider.com/buzzfeed-jonah-peretti-interview-2012-12?page=2 |url-status=live }} BuzzFeed also uses its familiarity with social media to target conventional advertising through other channels, such as Facebook. In December 2014, growth equity firm General Atlantic acquired $50 million in secondary stock of the company.{{cite news |last1=Griffith |first1=Erin |title=Vox Media becomes a startup "unicorn" with NBCU funding |url=http://fortune.com/2015/08/12/vox-media-comcast-nbcu-unicorn/ |access-date=December 16, 2015 |publisher=Fortune|archive-date=December 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151217005633/http://fortune.com/2015/08/12/vox-media-comcast-nbcu-unicorn/ |url-status=live }}

In August 2015, NBCUniversal made a $200 million equity investment in BuzzFeed.{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-nbcuniversal-investment-buzzfeed-20150818-story.html |title=NBCUniversal makes $200-million investment in Buzzfeed |last=Lien |first=Tracey |work=Los Angeles Times |date=August 18, 2015 |access-date=August 18, 2015 |archive-date=August 18, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150818160209/http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-nbcuniversal-investment-buzzfeed-20150818-story.html |url-status=live }} Along with plans to hire more journalists to build a more prominent "investigative" unit, BuzzFeed planned on hiring journalists around the world and plans to open outposts in India, Germany, Mexico, and Japan.{{Cite news |title=BuzzFeed gets fed |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/schumpeter/2014/08/digital-media |newspaper=The Economist |access-date=October 21, 2015 |issn=0013-0613 |archive-date=October 14, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151014003053/http://www.economist.com/blogs/schumpeter/2014/08/digital-media |url-status=live }} It planned on hiring staff for its UK bureau, its rapidly-expanding motion picture unit and its food-themed business, Tasty.{{Cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2015/08/13/comcast-invests-in-vox/|title=Here's why Comcast/NBC is investing Vox and BuzzFeed|website=Fortune|language=en|access-date=March 28, 2019|archive-date=March 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324221618/http://fortune.com/2015/08/13/comcast-invests-in-vox/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2015/10/15/buzzfeed-expands-foreign-staff/|title=BuzzFeed expands foreign staff|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en|access-date=March 28, 2019|archive-date=August 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820052755/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2015/10/15/buzzfeed-expands-foreign-staff/|url-status=live}} NBCUniversal invested an additional $200 million in 2016 after the two companies had collaborated on many projects, namely the Rio Olympics. The companies planned to work together to market themselves to advertisers. Together, Comcast and its NBCUniversal subsidiary own about a third of BuzzFeed. BuzzFeed has said that it intends to stay independent.{{Cite web |last1=Ingram |first1=Mathew |title=NBCUniversal Continues Its Creeping Takeover of BuzzFeed |work=Fortune |date=October 21, 2016 |url=http://fortune.com/2016/10/21/nbcuniversal-buzzfeed/ |language=en |access-date=March 24, 2019 |archive-date=March 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324221615/http://fortune.com/2016/10/21/nbcuniversal-buzzfeed/ |url-status=live }}

After laying off 100 employees in 2017, BuzzFeed laid off 200 of its employees in 2019 to help facilitate growth despite raising revenue by 15% from 2017 to 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.axios.com/facebook-funding-new-buzzfeed-news-shows-watch-18e621b1-a9d7-4e10-9153-af1e36366c41.html|title=Facebook funding 2 new BuzzFeed News shows for its Watch platform|website=Axios|date=August 13, 2019|language=en|access-date=September 29, 2019|archive-date=September 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929213328/https://www.axios.com/facebook-funding-new-buzzfeed-news-shows-watch-18e621b1-a9d7-4e10-9153-af1e36366c41.html|url-status=live}} Facebook began funding two BuzzFeed News shows in 2019 for Watch. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 25, 2020, BuzzFeed announced in an internal memo that it would cut employee salaries on a sliding scale of 5% (lowest income bracket) up to 25% (highest income bracket). Peretti said he would not be taking a salary until the end of the pandemic. Many staffers expressed relief at this announcement as there were no layoffs.{{cite news |last1=Tani |first1=Maxwell |title=BuzzFeed Slashing Employee Pay Amid the Coronavirus Crisis |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/buzzfeed-slashing-employee-pay-amid-the-coronavirus-crisis |access-date=March 25, 2020 |work=The Daily Beast |date=March 25, 2020 |language=en |archive-date=March 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325195640/https://www.thedailybeast.com/buzzfeed-slashing-employee-pay-amid-the-coronavirus-crisis |url-status=live }} On May 13, 2020, the company shut down its divisions in the UK and Australia, furloughing 10 news staff in the UK as well as four in its Australian outpost.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/buzzfeed-shuts-down-news-operations-in-uk-and-australia-2020-5|title=BuzzFeed shuts down local news operations in UK and Australia to focus on 'news that hits big' in the US|first=Rosie|last=Perper|website=Business Insider|access-date=July 24, 2020|archive-date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724003516/https://www.businessinsider.com/buzzfeed-shuts-down-news-operations-in-uk-and-australia-2020-5|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/07/14/key-facts-about-digital-native-news-outlets-amid-staff-cuts-revenue-losses/|title=Key facts about digital-native news outlets amid staff cuts, revenue losses|first1=Michael|last1=Barthel|first2=Galen|last2=Stocking|date=July 14, 2020 |access-date=July 24, 2020|archive-date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724003541/https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/07/14/key-facts-about-digital-native-news-outlets-amid-staff-cuts-revenue-losses/|url-status=live}}

According to a news from June 24, 2021 on Variety, BuzzFeed, valued at $1.5 billion through a SPAC deal, is to go public and acquire Complex Networks for $300 million.{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2021-06-24 |title=BuzzFeed Valued at $1.5 Billion in SPAC Deal to Go Public, Will Acquire Complex Networks for $300 Million |url=https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/buzzfeed-public-spac-merger-complex-1235004331/ |access-date=2024-03-18 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last1=Eavis |first1=Peter |last2=Robertson |first2=Katie |last3=Hirsch |first3=Lauren |date=2021-12-06 |title=BuzzFeed's stock falls in its public debut, offering a warning to other digital media firms. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/06/business/buzzfeed-stock.html |access-date=2024-03-18 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Edmund |date=2021-06-24 |title=BuzzFeed Confirms Plan to Go Public |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/24/business/media/buzzfeed-merger-spac.html |access-date=2024-03-18 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

BuzzFeed raised $16.2M in its latest funding round, which was Post IPO round held on Dec 03, 2021.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-17 |title=BuzzFeed - Raised $497M Funding from 21 investors - Tracxn |url=https://tracxn.com/d/companies/buzzfeed/___x59EB5q3RiaImUYFcd2oIfyOqJHP4_O7Dh4tympkZM/funding-and-investors |access-date=2024-03-18 |website=tracxn.com |language=en}}

BuzzFeed's first acquisition was in 2012 when the company purchased Kingfish Labs, a startup founded by Rob Fishman, initially focused on optimizing Facebook ads.Constine, Josh September 13, 2012 TechCrunch. "[https://techcrunch.com/2012/09/13/buzzfeed-kingfish-labs/ BuzzFeed's First Acquisition Kingfish Labs Could Make Its FB Ads Go More Viral Than Football Cats] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707213319/https://techcrunch.com/2012/09/13/buzzfeed-kingfish-labs/ |date=July 7, 2017 }}"

In October 2014, BuzzFeed announced its next acquisition, Torando Labs, which would become BuzzFeed's first data-engineering team.Ha, Anthony October 28, 2014 Techcrunch. "[https://techcrunch.com/2014/10/28/buzzfeed-acquires-torando-labs/ BuzzFeed Acquires Startup Torando Labs To Create Its First Data Engineering Team] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707152723/https://techcrunch.com/2014/10/28/buzzfeed-acquires-torando-labs/ |date=July 7, 2017 }}"

On November 19, 2020, BuzzFeed announced that they would acquire HuffPost in a stock deal that made Verizon Media minority shareholder in BuzzFeed.{{Cite news|last=Hagey|first=Benjamin Mullin and Keach|date=2020-11-19|title=BuzzFeed to Acquire HuffPost in Stock Deal With Verizon Media|language=en-US|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/buzzfeed-to-acquire-huffpost-in-stock-deal-with-verizon-media-11605808800|access-date=November 19, 2020|issn=0099-9660|archive-date=November 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119180053/https://www.wsj.com/articles/buzzfeed-to-acquire-huffpost-in-stock-deal-with-verizon-media-11605808800|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|author=Kerry Flynn|title=BuzzFeed chief Jonah Perreti brings HuffPost back under his fold in deal with Verizon Media|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/19/media/buzzfeed-huffpost/index.html|access-date=November 20, 2020|website=CNN|date=November 19, 2020|archive-date=November 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119224907/https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/19/media/buzzfeed-huffpost/index.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=BuzzFeed acquires HuffPost as digital media companies join forces|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/all/buzzfeed-acquires-huffpost-digital-media-companies-join-forces-n1248272|access-date=2021-03-11|website=NBC News|date=November 19, 2020 |language=en|archive-date=January 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122180815/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/all/buzzfeed-acquires-huffpost-digital-media-companies-join-forces-n1248272|url-status=live}}

In June 2021, BuzzFeed announced its plans to go public via a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) and planned to acquire Complex Networks.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/buzzfeed-to-go-public-spac-merger-1234972935/|title=BuzzFeed Going Public, Valued At $1.5B In SPAC Merger|first=Alex|last=Werpin|publisher=The Hollywood Reporter|date=24 June 2021|access-date=June 24, 2021|archive-date=June 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624135608/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/buzzfeed-to-go-public-spac-merger-1234972935/|url-status=live}} After initially listing on Nasdaq at $10 a share, valuing the company at around $1.5 billion, the share price subsequently declined to under $1 by 2023, leading to a delisting notice by Nasdaq in May 2023, requiring them to raise the share price above $1 within 180 days or risk being removed from the exchange.{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=J. Clara |date=2023-06-02 |title=BuzzFeed Receives Nasdaq Delisting Notice After Poor Stock Performance |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/buzzfeed-nasdaq-delisting-notice-1235506602/ |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} Once the deadline for this notice passed in November 2023 with the stock price still below $1, they were given a further 180 days until May 2024.{{Cite web |last=Stenberg |first=Mark |date=2023-11-30 |title=BuzzFeed Inc. Granted Extension on Nasdaq Delisting |url=https://www.adweek.com/social-marketing/buzzfeed-nasdaq-delisting/ |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=www.adweek.com |language=en-US}} By January 2024, the stock price of the company had declined 98% since its initial listing, with the entire company now only worth around $37 million, and the company was significantly burdened with debt.{{Cite web |last=Dugan |first=Kevin T. |date=2024-01-09 |title=BuzzFeed's 'Dire' Debt Problem |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2024/01/buzzfeeds-dire-debt-problem.html |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=Intelligencer |language=en}} In May 2024, BuzzFeed implemented a 4:1 reverse stock split, bringing them above the $1 a share threshold.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-02 |title=BuzzFeed, Inc. Announces 1-For-4 Reverse Stock Split |url=https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/buzzfeed-inc-announces-1-4-153000826.html |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=Yahoo Finance |language=en-GB}}

According to Reuters, British media group The Independent is reportedly discussing a multi-year agreement to acquire control of BuzzFeed and Huffington Post's operations in the UK and Ireland.{{Cite news |title=Britain's The Independent in talks to take control of BuzzFeed UK - source |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/independent-talks-take-control-buzzfeed-huffpost-uk-ft-2024-02-15/ |work=REUTERS}}

In February 2024, BuzzFeed announced the sale of Complex to NTWRK, a livestream shopping platform, even as it would retain some popular franchises. At the same time, it reportedly considered selling Tasty, a social media food brand. The moves marked a retreat for the company after its December 2021 public listing done to finance acquisitions and came during a difficult period for media companies. It also announced layoffs.{{Cite web |last=Fischer |first=Sara |date=February 2, 2024 |title=BuzzFeed sells Complex for $108 million, announces job cuts |url=https://www.axios.com/2024/02/21/buzzfeed-sells-complex |access-date=February 21, 2024 |website=Axios}}{{Cite news |last=Toonkel |first=Alexandra Bruell and Jessica |title=WSJ News Exclusive {{!}} Vice's Refinery29 and BuzzFeed's Tasty Are Up for Sale as Digital Media Contracts |url=https://www.wsj.com/business/media/vices-refinery29-and-buzzfeeds-tasty-are-up-for-sale-as-digital-media-contracts-2f01ada4 |access-date=2024-02-21 |work=WSJ |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Weprin |first=Alex |date=2024-02-21 |title=BuzzFeed to Lay Off 16 Percent of Its Workforce In Major Cuts |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/buzzfeed-layoffs-new-restructuring-1235831847/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Maas |first=Jennifer |date=2024-02-21 |title=Process of Elimination: Why Layoffs Are Hitting Media, Tech and Gaming – Despite Their Steep Costs |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/layoffs-explained-media-tech-gaming-2024-1235917487/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} In July 2024, the company sold travel-brand Bring Me! to media publisher LOST iN.{{Cite web |last=Stenberg |first=Mark |date=2024-07-23 |title=Publisher Lost In Acquires BuzzFeed's Bring Me! Franchise |url=https://www.adweek.com/media/lost-in-acquires-buzzfeed-bring-me/ |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=Adweek |language=en-US}} In December 2024, BuzzFeed sold First We Feast, which produces the show Hot Ones, for $82.5 million to a consortium of Investors.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-12 |title=BuzzFeed sells 'Hot Ones' studio in $82.5 million deal |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/buzzfeed-sells-hot-ones-studio-first-we-feast-rcna183956 |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=NBC News |language=en}}

In May 2024, activist investor Vivek Ramaswamy acquired a 7.7% stake in BuzzFeed, making him the fourth-largest shareholder,{{Cite news |last=Rainey |first=Clint |date=2024-05-23 |title=Vivek Ramaswamy spent $3.3 million to buy 8% of BuzzFeed. How much damage could he do with that stake? |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91130074/vivek-ramaswamy-buzzfeed-purchase-stake-explained |access-date=2024-09-13 |work=Fast Company}} which he later increased to 8.37%.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Mark |title=Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy buys big into BuzzFeed, quickly demands change |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/05/28/vivek-ramaswamy-buzzfeed/73884906007/ |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} Ramaswamy said that he thought the company was undervalued,{{Cite web |date=2024-05-22 |title=Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy takes a 7.7% stake in BuzzFeed |url=https://apnews.com/article/vivek-ramaswamy-buzzfeed-22a838d00c545dcf88728a579fdd35f5 |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=AP News |language=en}} and that he wanted to shift the company's political leanings, such by hiring right-wing media personalities.{{Cite news |last=Flynn |first=Kerry |date=2024-05-28 |title=Vivek Ramaswamy calls for job cuts at BuzzFeed |url=https://www.axios.com/pro/media-deals/2024/05/28/vivek-ramaswamy-buzzfeed-plan |access-date=2024-09-13 |work=Axios}} Elizabeth Lopatto, writing in The Verge, called his effort futile, as voting power in Buzzfeed is primarily in Class B shares, which have 50 times the voting power of the common Class A shares Ramaswamy had purchased. 90% of Class B shares are held by founder Peretti and close associates, meaning that Ramaswamy has little voting power despite his large shareholding.{{Cite web |last=Lopatto |first=Elizabeth |date=2024-05-28 |title=Vivek Ramaswamy can't even dunk on Buzzfeed right |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/28/24166644/vivek-ramaswamy-buzzfeed-letter-shares |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=The Verge |language=en}}

BuzzFeed produces daily content, in which the work of staff reporters, contributors, syndicated cartoon artists, and its community are featured. Popular formats on the website include lists, videos, and quizzes. The style of such content inspired the parody website ClickHole.{{cite web|last1=Oremus|first1=Will|title=Area Humor Site Discovers Clickbait|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2014/06/clickhole_the_onion_s_new_site_is_more_than_a_buzzfeed_parody.html|work=Slate|access-date=October 23, 2014|date=June 19, 2014|archive-date=June 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140619154513/http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2014/06/clickhole_the_onion_s_new_site_is_more_than_a_buzzfeed_parody.html|url-status=live}} While BuzzFeed initially was focused exclusively on such viral content, according to The New York Times, "it added more traditional content, building a track record for delivering breaking news and deeply reported articles" in the years up to 2014.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/11/technology/a-move-to-go-beyond-lists-for-content-at-buzzfeed.html | title=50 Million New Reasons BuzzFeed Wants to Take Its Content Far Beyond Lists | work=The New York Times | date=August 11, 2014 | access-date=March 26, 2015 | archive-date=May 18, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518005509/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/11/technology/a-move-to-go-beyond-lists-for-content-at-buzzfeed.html | url-status=live }} In that year, BuzzFeed deleted over 4000 early posts, "apparently because, as time passed, they looked stupider and stupider", as observed by The New Yorker.{{cite news|url = https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/01/26/cobweb|title = The Cobweb. Can the Internet be archived?|last = Lepore|first = Jill|author-link = Jill Lepore|work = The New Yorker (January 26, 2015 issue)|access-date = February 18, 2020|archive-date = January 25, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150125141230/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/01/26/cobweb|url-status = live}}

BuzzFeed consistently ranked at the top of NewsWhip's "Facebook Publisher Rankings" from December 2013 to April 2014, until The Huffington Post entered the position.* {{cite web |last1=Corcoran |first1=Liam |title=BuzzFeed Back On Top – The Biggest Facebook Publishers of December 2013 |url=http://blog.newswhip.com/index.php/2014/01/facebook-social-publishers |website=blog.newswhip.com |publisher=NewsWhip |access-date=October 23, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023193456/http://blog.newswhip.com/index.php/2014/01/facebook-social-publishers |archive-date=October 23, 2014 }}

• {{cite web|last1=Corcoran|first1=Liam|title=The Biggest Facebook Publishers of January 2014|url=http://blog.newswhip.com/index.php/2014/02/biggest-facebook-publishers|website=blog.newswhip.com|publisher=NewsWhip|access-date=October 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023193139/http://blog.newswhip.com/index.php/2014/02/biggest-facebook-publishers|archive-date=October 23, 2014|url-status=dead}}
• {{cite web|last1=Liam|first1=Corcoran|title=The Biggest Facebook Publishers of February 2014|url=http://blog.newswhip.com/index.php/2014/03/biggest-facebook-publishers-february-2014|website=blog.newswhip.com|publisher=NewsWhip|access-date=October 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023192535/http://blog.newswhip.com/index.php/2014/03/biggest-facebook-publishers-february-2014|archive-date=October 23, 2014|url-status=dead}}
• {{cite web|last1=Corcoran|first1=Liam|title=The Biggest Facebook Publishers of March 2014|url=http://blog.newswhip.com/index.php/2014/04/biggest-facebook-publishers-march-2014|website=blog.newswhip.com|publisher=NewsWhip|access-date=October 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023192533/http://blog.newswhip.com/index.php/2014/04/biggest-facebook-publishers-march-2014|archive-date=October 23, 2014|url-status=dead}}
• {{cite web |last1=Corcoran |first1=Liam |title=The Biggest Facebook Publishers of April 2014 |url=http://blog.newswhip.com/index.php/2014/05/biggest-facebook-publishers-april-2014 |website=blog.newswhip.com |publisher=NewsWhip |access-date=October 23, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023193452/http://blog.newswhip.com/index.php/2014/05/biggest-facebook-publishers-april-2014 |archive-date=October 23, 2014 }}

{{Main|BuzzFeed News}}

BuzzFeed's news division began in December 2011 with the appointment of Ben Smith as editor-in-chief. In 2013, Pulitzer Prize winner Mark Schoofs of ProPublica was hired as head of investigative reporting.{{cite news|last1=Mullin|first1=Benjamin|title=BuzzFeed News gets its first Pulitzer citation|date=April 10, 2017|url=https://www.poynter.org/news/buzzfeed-news-gets-its-first-pulitzer-citation|work=Poynter|language=en|access-date=January 1, 2018|archive-date=January 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101194201/https://www.poynter.org/news/buzzfeed-news-gets-its-first-pulitzer-citation|url-status=live}} By 2016, BuzzFeed had 20 investigative journalists.{{Cite web|url=https://www.poynter.org/tech-tools/2016/how-buzzfeed-built-an-investigative-team-from-the-ground-up/|title=Digital Digging: How BuzzFeed built an investigative team inside a viral hit factory|website=Poynter|date=February 15, 2016|language=en|access-date=June 16, 2018|archive-date=January 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119120947/https://www.poynter.org/tech-tools/2016/how-buzzfeed-built-an-investigative-team-from-the-ground-up/|url-status=live}} Chief executive Jonah Peretti announced the BuzzFeed News division would close on April 20, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Darcy |first=Oliver |title=BuzzFeed News shuts down |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/20/media/buzzfeed-news-shuts-down/index.html |website=CNN|date=2023-04-20 |accessdate=2023-04-20 |archive-date=April 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230420161743/https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/20/media/buzzfeed-news-shuts-down/index.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite magazine |last=Malone |first=Clare |date=2023-05-04 |title=Jonah Peretti Has Regrets About BuzzFeed News |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-communications/jonah-peretti-has-regrets-about-buzzfeed-news |access-date=2024-03-18 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}}

BuzzFeed Video, BuzzFeed Motion Picture's flagship YouTube channel,{{YouTube|user=BuzzFeedVideo|title=BuzzFeedVideo}} produces original content. Its production studio and team are based in Los Angeles. Since hiring Ze Frank in 2012, BuzzFeed Video has produced several video series, including "The Try Guys". In August 2014, the company announced a new division, BuzzFeed Motion Pictures, which may produce feature-length films. As of September 1, 2021, BuzzFeed Video's YouTube channel had garnered more than 17.4 billion views and more than 20.3 million subscribers.{{cite web|title=About|url=https://www.youtube.com/user/BuzzFeedVideo/about|website=BuzzFeed Video on YouTube|publisher=Google Inc|access-date=October 24, 2014|date=October 24, 2014|archive-date=October 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008190548/https://www.youtube.com/user/BuzzFeedVideo/about|url-status=live}} BuzzFeed later announced that YouTube signed on for two feature-length series to be created by BuzzFeed Motion Pictures, entitled Broke and Squad Wars.{{cite web|last1=Longwell|first1=Todd|title=With 2 scripted YouTube series, BuzzFeed looks to move beyond viral videos|website=The Daily Dot|date=September 8, 2016|url=http://www.dailydot.com/upstream/buzzfeed-youtube-red-broke/|access-date=September 9, 2016|archive-date=September 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160909191103/http://www.dailydot.com/upstream/buzzfeed-youtube-red-broke/|url-status=live}}

BuzzFeed started an in-house podcasting team in 2015, through which the podcasts Another Round and Internet Explorer were developed and launched.{{cite news |last1=Mullin |first1=Benjamin |title=BuzzFeed News Cuts Podcasting Team to Focus on Video |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/buzzfeed-news-cuts-podcasting-team-to-focus-on-video-1537369455 |website=The Wall Street Journal |date=September 19, 2018 |access-date=March 11, 2019 |archive-date=February 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190206194837/https://www.wsj.com/articles/buzzfeed-news-cuts-podcasting-team-to-focus-on-video-1537369455 |url-status=live }} In September 2018, BuzzFeed shut down its podcast department and laid off the staff due to a lack of desired ad revenue. It cancelled most of its podcasts, including See Something, Say Something.{{cite web |last1=Uberti |first1=David |title=BuzzFeed and the digital media meltdown |url=https://www.cjr.org/business_of_news/buzzfeed-future-jonah-peretti-union.php |website=Columbia Journalism Review |access-date=March 11, 2019 |archive-date=March 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323065328/https://www.cjr.org/business_of_news/buzzfeed-future-jonah-peretti-union.php |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Spangler |first1=Todd |title=BuzzFeed Shuts Down In-House Podcast Team |url=https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/buzzfeed-shuts-down-podcast-layoffs-1202950157/ |website=Variety |date=September 20, 2018 |access-date=March 13, 2019 |archive-date=March 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330081706/https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/buzzfeed-shuts-down-podcast-layoffs-1202950157/ |url-status=live }} In late January 2019, they fired 200 staff across the company and cancelled the remaining podcast, Thirst Aid Kit.

;Former podcasts

• Another Round
• Internet Explorer
• The News
• See Something, Say Something
• Thirst Aid Kit
• Reporting To You
• Rerun
• The Tell Show
• Women of the Hour

{{update section|date=March 2019|reason=sources are from 2012-2014}}

On July 17, 2012, humor website McSweeney's Internet Tendency published a satirical piece entitled "Suggested BuzzFeed Articles",{{cite web|url=http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/suggested-buzzfeed-articles|title=McSweeney's Internet Tendency: List: Suggested BuzzFeed Articles|work=McSweeney's Internet Tendency|access-date=December 20, 2014|archive-date=May 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512205123/http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/suggested-buzzfeed-articles|url-status=live}} prompting BuzzFeed to create many of the suggestions.{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/suggestedbuzzfeedarticles|title=Suggested BuzzFeed Articles|work=BuzzFeed|date=July 18, 2012 |access-date=August 25, 2017|archive-date=August 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803002845/https://www.buzzfeed.com/suggestedbuzzfeedarticles|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://contently.com/strategist/2012/08/06/buzzfeed-responds-to-suggested-article-satire-in-mcsweeneys/|title=How to Respond When Your Content Strategy Comes Under Fire|work=contently.com|first=Reb|last=Carlson|date=August 6, 2012|access-date=December 20, 2014|archive-date=December 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227235051/http://contently.com/strategist/2012/08/06/buzzfeed-responds-to-suggested-article-satire-in-mcsweeneys/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://observer.com/2012/07/buzzfeed-mcsweenys-list-19-ways-to-make-me-want-to-flush-the-internet-into-the-gowanus-canal-07182012/|title=In Which Buzzfeed Answers a McSweeney's Parody of Their Site with Aplomb|author=Foster Kamer|work=The New York Observer|date=July 18, 2012|access-date=December 20, 2014|archive-date=May 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510004749/http://observer.com/2012/07/buzzfeed-mcsweenys-list-19-ways-to-make-me-want-to-flush-the-internet-into-the-gowanus-canal-07182012/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/BuzzFeed/posts/346313802110028|title=BuzzFeed – Yesterday, McSweeney's published a list of...|work=facebook.com|access-date=December 21, 2014|archive-date=February 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160217212409/https://www.facebook.com/BuzzFeed/posts/346313802110028|url-status=live}} BuzzFeed listed McSweeney's as a "Community Contributor". The post subsequently received more than 350,000 page views, prompted BuzzFeed to ask for user submissions,{{cite web|url=http://www.upi.com/blog/2012/07/19/Buzzfeeds-capable-response-to-McSweeneys-parody/9791342720183/|title=Buzzfeed's capable response to McSweeney's parody|work=UPI|access-date=December 20, 2014|archive-date=December 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220030738/http://www.upi.com/blog/2012/07/19/Buzzfeeds-capable-response-to-McSweeneys-parody/9791342720183/|url-status=live}} and received media attention.* {{cite web|url=http://www.dailydot.com/entertainment/mcsweeneys-buzzfeed-lists-listicles/|title=McSweeney's challenges BuzzFeed to listicle-off, loses|work=The Daily Dot|date=July 20, 2012|access-date=December 20, 2014|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923222925/http://www.dailydot.com/entertainment/mcsweeneys-buzzfeed-lists-listicles/|url-status=live}}

• {{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/yourcommunity/2012/07/buzzfeed-takes-mcsweenys-list-suggestions-quite-literally.html|title=Buzzfeed takes humour website's list suggestions literally|author=Jonathan Ore|date=September 19, 2013|work=cbc.ca|access-date=December 20, 2014|archive-date=December 31, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231163530/http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/yourcommunity/2012/07/buzzfeed-takes-mcsweenys-list-suggestions-quite-literally.html|url-status=live}}
• {{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2013/04/04/the-alarming-buzzfeednrcc-spawn/|title=The alarming BuzzFeed/NRCC spawn|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=April 4, 2013|access-date=August 25, 2017|archive-date=July 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170715201727/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2013/04/04/the-alarming-buzzfeednrcc-spawn/|url-status=live}} Subsequently, the website launched the "Community" section in May 2013 to enable users to submit content. Users initially are limited to publishing only one post per day, but may increase their submission capacity by raising their "Cat Power",{{cite web|author1=Jeff John Roberts|title=Get your cat on: BuzzFeed creates new section where readers can publish|url=https://gigaom.com/2013/05/08/get-your-cat-on-buzzfeed-creates-new-section-where-readers-can-publish/|website=Gigaom|publisher=Gigaom, Inc|access-date=October 24, 2014|date=May 8, 2013|archive-date=November 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106191325/https://gigaom.com/2013/05/08/get-your-cat-on-buzzfeed-creates-new-section-where-readers-can-publish/|url-status=live}} described on the BuzzFeed website as "an official measure of your rank in BuzzFeed's Community." A user's Cat Power increases as they achieve greater prominence on the site.{{cite web|title=About BuzzFeed Community|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/community/about|website=BuzzFeed|publisher=BuzzFeed, Inc|access-date=October 24, 2014|date=October 24, 2014|archive-date=October 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023230849/http://www.buzzfeed.com/community/about|url-status=live}}

In January 2017, BuzzFeed's user-generated community content accumulated 100 million views.{{Cite web|url=https://cmxhub.com/how-community-created-content-generates-100m-page-views-a-buzzfeed-community-case-study/|title=How Community-Created Content Generates 100M Page Views: A BuzzFeed Community Case Study|date=May 16, 2017|website=CMX|language=en-US|access-date=March 30, 2019|archive-date=March 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330181725/https://cmxhub.com/how-community-created-content-generates-100m-page-views-a-buzzfeed-community-case-study/|url-status=live |last1=Jones |first1=Carrie Melissa }}

In February 2019, BuzzFeed News voted to unionize, following major layoffs. A dispute between BuzzFeed's upper executives and the union began when the executives failed to show up to a meeting.{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/04/de-blasio-buzzfeed-union/|title=Mayor Bill de Blasio weighs in on BuzzFeed union dispute|website=TechCrunch|date=April 4, 2019|language=en-US|access-date=April 5, 2019|archive-date=April 23, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423172408/https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/04/de-blasio-buzzfeed-union/|url-status=live}}

BuzzFeed receives the majority of its traffic by creating content that is shared on social media websites. BuzzFeed works by judging their content on how viral it will become, operating in a "continuous feedback loop" where all of its articles and videos are used as input for its sophisticated data operation.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3056057/most-innovative-companies/how-buzzfeeds-jonah-peretti-is-building-a-100-year-media-company|title=How BuzzFeed's Jonah Peretti Is Building A 100-Year Media Company|date=February 16, 2016|website=Fast Company|language=en-US|access-date=June 11, 2016|archive-date=May 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160518094233/http://www.fastcompany.com/3056057/most-innovative-companies/how-buzzfeeds-jonah-peretti-is-building-a-100-year-media-company|url-status=live}} The site continues to test and track their custom content with an in-house team of data scientists and an external-facing "social dashboard". Using an algorithm dubbed "Viral Rank" created by Jonah Peretti and Duncan Watts, the company uses this formula to let editors, users, and advertisers try many different ideas, which maximizes distribution.Watts, Duncan, and Jonah Peretti, [https://hbr.org/2007/05/viral-marketing-for-the-real-world "Viral Marketing for the Real World"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624221759/https://hbr.org/2007/05/viral-marketing-for-the-real-world |date=June 24, 2016 }}, Harvard Business Review, May 2007. Staff writers are ranked by views on an internal leaderboard. In 2014, BuzzFeed received 75% of its views from links on social media outlets such as Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook.

BuzzFeed's video series on comfort food, Tasty, is made for Facebook, where it has 100 million followers as of December 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://digiday.com/media/tasty-buzzfeed-multi-revenue-stream-model/|title=With Tasty, BuzzFeed has a multi-revenue stream model|last=Ting|first=Deanna|date=December 10, 2019|website=Digiday|language=en-US|access-date=December 27, 2019|archive-date=December 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227215353/https://digiday.com/media/tasty-buzzfeed-multi-revenue-stream-model/|url-status=live}} The channel has substantially more views than BuzzFeed's dedicated food site.{{cite news|last1=Griffith|first1=Erin|title=BuzzFeed's Foodie Channels Are Blowing Up on Facebook|url=http://fortune.com/2016/01/19/buzzfeed-tasty-proper-tasty/|access-date=June 11, 2016|work=Fortune|date=January 19, 2016|archive-date=June 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605122418/http://fortune.com/2016/01/19/buzzfeed-tasty-proper-tasty/|url-status=live}} The channel included five spinoff segments: "Tasty Junior"—which eventually spun off into its own page,[https://www.facebook.com/tastyjunior/ Tasty Junior Facebook page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170520143133/https://www.facebook.com/tastyjunior/ |date=May 20, 2017 }} – (accessed February 15, 2017) "Tasty Happy Hour" (alcoholic beverages), "Tasty Fresh", "Tasty Vegetarian", and "Tasty Story"—which has celebrities making and discussing their own recipes. Tasty has also released a cookbook.{{cite web|url=https://tastybook.com/|title=Tasty Shop|website=Tasty Shop|access-date=December 2, 2016|archive-date=December 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202101710/https://tastybook.com/|url-status=live}}

The company also operates international versions of Tasty.{{Cite web|url=https://digiday.com/media/food-brand-tasty-template-buzzfeeds-vertical-expansion/|title=How food brand Tasty is a template for BuzzFeed's vertical expansion|date=May 22, 2017|website=Digiday|language=en-US|access-date=December 27, 2019|archive-date=December 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227152254/https://digiday.com/media/food-brand-tasty-template-buzzfeeds-vertical-expansion/|url-status=live}} Tasty has also released its own kitchenware, which includes several products such as spatulas, cooking sheets, and mixing bowls. These products are sold in collaboration with Walmart.{{Cite news|url=https://www.recode.net/2018/3/1/17066402/buzzfeed-walmart-tasty-kitchen-gadget-tools-retail-deal|title=BuzzFeed has a new business model, so it's selling its own line of kitchen tools at Walmart|work=Recode|access-date=April 17, 2018|archive-date=March 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301162412/https://www.recode.net/2018/3/1/17066402/buzzfeed-walmart-tasty-kitchen-gadget-tools-retail-deal|url-status=live}}Tasty also sells their "One Top", which is a smart induction cooktop,{{Cite web|url=https://tastyshop.com/collections/tasty-one-top|title=Tasty One Top|website=Tasty Shop|access-date=April 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418031912/https://tastyshop.com/collections/tasty-one-top|archive-date=April 18, 2018|url-status=dead}} as well as "Tasty Kits", which are kits that contains cooking items for cooking at home.{{Cite web|url=https://tastyshop.com/products/tasty-cooking-kit|title=Cooking Kit|website=Tasty Shop|access-date=April 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418031952/https://tastyshop.com/products/tasty-cooking-kit|archive-date=April 18, 2018|url-status=dead}}

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, "Tasty" streamed the Saturday Night Seder, an online Passover Seder that featured many celebrities and benefited the CDC Foundation.

{{Main|Worth It (TV series)}}

Since 2016, Tasty also sponsors a show named Worth It starring Steven Lim, Andrew Ilnyckyj, and Adam Bianchi.{{cite web | title=These BuzzFeed Videos Are Unexpectedly Impacting Local Businesses Around the World | website=Adweek | first=Sami | last=Main | date=June 1, 2017 | url=http://www.adweek.com/digital/buzzfeeds-unexpected-impact-on-local-businesses-around-the-world/ | access-date=October 19, 2017 | archive-date=October 22, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171022004152/http://www.adweek.com/digital/buzzfeeds-unexpected-impact-on-local-businesses-around-the-world/ | url-status=live }} In each episode, the trio visit three different food places with three drastically different price points in one food category. Steven Lim also stars in BuzzFeed Blue's "Worth It – Lifestyle" videos. The series is similar, in that three items or experiences are valued from different companies, each at their different price point, but focus on material items and experiences, such as plane seats, hotel rooms, and haircuts. Lim left BuzzFeed in 2019 to start his own production company Watcher.{{cite news |last1=Spangler |first1=Todd |title=Ex-BuzzFeed Video Staffers Launch Watcher Entertainment Digital Studio (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/watcher-entertainment-buzzfeed-steven-lim-ryan-bergara-shane-madej-1203427669/ |access-date=6 August 2024 |work=Variety |date=December 9, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Weiss |first1=Geoff |title=Three Of BuzzFeed's Biggest Video Stars Launch Indie Studio 'Watcher Entertainment' |url=https://www.tubefilter.com/2019/12/09/buzzfeed-stars-launch-watcher-entertainment/ |access-date=6 August 2024 |work=Tubefilter |date=December 9, 2019}}

BuzzFeed Unsolved was the most successful web series on BuzzFeed's BuzzFeed Multiplayer. The show was created by Ryan Bergara and features both him and Shane Madej (who replaced original co-host Brent Bennett). The show covers some of history's most famous unsolved mysteries, presenting them and the theories that surround them in a comedic manner. In some episodes, they visit the places involved with the mystery. Many of these episodes focus on the supernatural or paranormal and often include the pair ghost hunting during the investigations. In late 2019, Bergara and Madej started their own digital production company, Watcher Entertainment, with Worth It's Steven Lim; however, the two continued collaborating with BuzzFeed to produce BuzzFeed Unsolved until November 2021. The spiritual successor to BuzzFeed Unsolved is Ghost Files, a documentary entertainment web series by Watcher Entertainment that was first released on September 23, 2022.

The Try Guys are a trio of friends (Eugene Lee Yang, Zach Kornfeld, Keith Habersberger, and formerly Ned Fulmer) who put themselves in different, and at times, compromising situations and record the results.{{Cite news|url=https://www.tubefilter.com/2016/05/17/buzzfeed-try-guys-newfronts/|title=BuzzFeed's 'The Try Guys' Talk About Their NewFronts And Advertising Experiences|date=May 17, 2016|work=Tubefilter|access-date=May 2, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=May 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503041028/https://www.tubefilter.com/2016/05/17/buzzfeed-try-guys-newfronts/|url-status=live}} In June 2018, the four left BuzzFeed and created their own independent channel, also titled "The Try Guys".''{{Cite news|url=https://www.tubefilter.com/2016/05/02/buzzfeed-newfronts-development-partners/|title=The Try Guys, Quinta Brunston, Ashly Perez Lead BuzzFeed's Original Programming Slate – Tubefilter|date=May 2, 2016|work=Tubefilter|access-date=May 2, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=May 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180502213225/https://www.tubefilter.com/2016/05/02/buzzfeed-newfronts-development-partners/|url-status=live}}

Night In/Night Out was a series run by Ned and Ariel Fulmer. This show features the couple on two different dates, one at home featuring a homemade meal (using a BuzzFeed Tasty Recipe) and one at a restaurant in the Los Angeles area. Each episode focuses on one particular meal, such as baked salmon or hamburgers. At the end of each episode, Ned and Ariel would decide whether they preferred the home-cooked meal (and the accompanying ambiance and price tag) or the meal at the restaurant. However, the couple left BuzzFeed with the Try Guys in 2018, and the series was subsequently canceled.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/NightInNightOutShow/|title=Night In/Night Out|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=May 23, 2018|archive-date=June 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618105418/https://www.facebook.com/NightInNightOutShow/|url-status=live}}

Around 2017, BuzzFeed launched Animation Lab with a focus on short-form animation content that is posted on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and later YouTube and Twitter. The studio has launched 30 projects during its existence, 4 of which have since been focused on due to finding success (Weird Helga, The Good Advice Cupcake, The Land of Boggs, and Chikn Nuggit), which as of 2021 had a combined total of over 17 million followers.{{cite web|url=https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/tiktok-buzzfeed-are-disrupting-a-250b-industry.html|title=TikTok and Buzzfeed Are Disrupting a $250 Billion Industry|first=Geoffrey|last=James|website=Inc.|date=July 12, 2021|access-date=March 20, 2023|archive-date=December 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209001415/https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/tiktok-buzzfeed-are-disrupting-a-250b-industry.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |date=2022-05-11 |title=Creators On The Rise: The animators behind The Land of Boggs gave up trying to make it on YouTube. Then their channel got 300 million views. |url=https://www.tubefilter.com/2022/05/11/creators-on-the-rise-the-land-of-boggs/ |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=Tubefilter |language=en-US |archive-date=December 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209002912/https://www.tubefilter.com/2022/05/11/creators-on-the-rise-the-land-of-boggs/ |url-status=live }}

In January 2024, a lot of the Animation Lab team were laid off (including Loryn Brantz), leading to the cancellations of Weird Helga and The Good Advice Cupcake.

{{Main|The dress}}

{{Quote box

|quote = The most interesting thing to me is that it traveled. It went from New York media circle-jerk Twitter to international. And you could see it in my Twitter notifications because people started having conversations in, like, Spanish and Portuguese and then Japanese and Chinese and Thai and Arabic. It was amazing to watch this move from a local thing to, like, a massive international phenomenon.{{cite news |last=Warzel |first=Charlie |title=2/26: The Oral History |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/226-how-two-runaway-llamas-and-a-dress-gave-us-the-internets |newspaper=BuzzFeed |date=26 February 2015 |access-date=28 February 2016 |archive-date=March 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319033110/https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/226-how-two-runaway-llamas-and-a-dress-gave-us-the-internets |url-status=live }}

|source = |align = right |width = 40% |qalign = left |salign = right|author = Cates Holderness}}

In February 2015, a post resulting in a debate over the color of an item of clothing from BuzzFeed's Tumblr editor Cates Holderness garnered more than 28 million views in one day, setting a record for most concurrent visitors to a BuzzFeed post.{{cite web|title=The Dress|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/culture-web-culture|website=BuzzFeed|access-date=June 12, 2016|date=February 27, 2014|archive-date=June 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603173752/https://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/culture-web-culture|url-status=live}} Holderness had shown the picture to other members of the site's social media team, who immediately began arguing about the dress colors among themselves. After creating a simple poll for users of the site, she left work and took the subway back to her Brooklyn home. When she got off the train and checked her telephone, it was overwhelmed by the messages on various sites. "I couldn't open Twitter because it kept crashing. I thought somebody had died, maybe. I didn't know what was going on." Later in the evening the page set a new record at BuzzFeed for concurrent visitors, which reached 673,000 at its peak.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-35073088 |title=#TheDress couple: 'we were completely left out from the story' |date=January 1, 2016 |work=BBC News |access-date=January 28, 2016 |archive-date=January 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106064255/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-35073088 |url-status=live }}

{{Main|Exploding watermelon stunt}}

On April 8, 2016, two BuzzFeed interns created a live stream on Facebook, during which rubber bands were wrapped one by one around a watermelon until the pressure caused it to explode. The Daily Dot compared it to something from America's Funniest Home Videos or by the comedian Gallagher, and "just as stupid-funny, but with incredible immediacy and zero production costs". The video is seen as part of Facebook's strategy to shift to live video, Facebook Live, to counter the rise of Snapchat and Periscope among a younger audience.Hathaway, Jay (April 8, 2016). [http://www.dailydot.com/lol/watermelon-explosion-facebook-future/ Welp, the future of Facebook is exploding watermelons] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160614014037/http://www.dailydot.com/lol/watermelon-explosion-facebook-future/ |date=June 14, 2016 }}, The Daily Dot

File:Benny Johnson (12555523704).jpg was fired from BuzzFeed in July 2014 for plagiarism.]]

BuzzFeed has been accused of plagiarizing original content from competitors from the online and offline press. In June 2012, Gawker's Adrian Chen observed that one of BuzzFeed's most popular writers—Matt Stopera—frequently copied and pasted "chunks of text into lists without attribution."{{cite web |url=http://gawker.com/5922038/remix-everything-buzzfeed-and-the-plagiarism-problem |title=Remix Everything: BuzzFeed and the Plagiarism Problem |author=Adrian Chen |publisher=Gawker Media |work=Gawker |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130912005406/http://gawker.com/5922038/remix-everything-buzzfeed-and-the-plagiarism-problem |archive-date=September 12, 2013 }} In March 2013, The Atlantic Wire also reported several "listicles" had apparently been copied from Reddit and other websites.{{cite web|url=http://www.theatlanticwire.com/business/2013/03/buzzfeeds-happiest-facts-all-time-were-mostly-plagiarized-reddit/62918/|title=BuzzFeed's 'Happiest Facts of All Time' Were Mostly Plagiarized from Reddit|author=Philip Bump|work=The Wire|access-date=September 17, 2013|archive-date=October 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014172902/http://www.theatlanticwire.com/business/2013/03/buzzfeeds-happiest-facts-all-time-were-mostly-plagiarized-reddit/62918/|url-status=dead}} In July 2014, BuzzFeed writer Benny Johnson was accused of multiple instances of plagiarism.{{cite news |url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2014/07/buzzfeeds-benny-johnson-accused-of-plagiarism-192795.html |title=BuzzFeed's Benny Johnson accused of plagiarism |work=Politico |date=July 25, 2014 |access-date=July 25, 2014 |archive-date=July 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724224147/http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2014/07/buzzfeeds-benny-johnson-accused-of-plagiarism-192795.html |url-status=live }} Two anonymous Twitter users chronicled Johnson attributing work that was not his own, but "directly lift[ed] from other reporters, Wikipedia, and Yahoo! Answers", all without credit.{{cite news |url=http://ourbadmedia.wordpress.com/2014/07/24/benny-johnson-probably-shouldnt-call-people-out-for-plagiarism/ |title=3 Reasons Benny Johnson Shouldn't Call Out Plagiarism: He's A Plagiarist, He's A Plagiarist, And He's A Plagiarist |work=Our Bad Media |date=July 24, 2014 |access-date=July 24, 2014 |archive-date=July 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724184352/http://ourbadmedia.wordpress.com/2014/07/24/benny-johnson-probably-shouldnt-call-people-out-for-plagiarism/ |url-status=live }} BuzzFeed editor Ben Smith initially defended Johnson, calling him a "deeply original writer".{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/buzzfeed-fires-benny-johnson-for-plagiarism/2014/07/26/64abe9d2-1484-11e4-98ee-daea85133bc9_story.html|title=Buzzfeed fires Benny Johnson for plagiarism|last=Farhi|first=Paul|date=July 26, 2014|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=July 26, 2014|archive-date=July 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726160527/http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/buzzfeed-fires-benny-johnson-for-plagiarism/2014/07/26/64abe9d2-1484-11e4-98ee-daea85133bc9_story.html|url-status=live}} Days later, Smith acknowledged that Johnson had plagiarized the work of others 40 times and announced that Johnson had been fired, apologizing to BuzzFeed readers. "Plagiarism, much less copying unchecked facts from Wikipedia or other sources, is an act of disrespect to the reader", Smith said. "We are deeply embarrassed and sorry to have misled you." In total, 41 instances of plagiarism were found and corrected.{{cite news|last1=Stelter|first1=Brian|title=BuzzFeed fires viral politics editor for plagiarizing|url=https://money.cnn.com/2014/07/26/media/buzzfeed-plagiarism/index.html?hpt=hp_t3|access-date=July 28, 2014|publisher=CNN Money|date=July 26, 2014|archive-date=July 30, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140730213052/http://money.cnn.com/2014/07/26/media/buzzfeed-plagiarism/index.html?hpt=hp_t3|url-status=live}} In 2016, claims surfaced of the YouTube channel BuzzFeedVideo stealing ideas and content from other creators.{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/buzzfeed-video-akilah-hughes-petiton-plagiarism-a7112936.html |title=Buzzfeed accused of 'stealing ideas' by YouTube personality |last=Garcia |first=Feliks |date=July 1, 2016 |website=The Independent|access-date=August 25, 2017 |archive-date=August 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819024806/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/buzzfeed-video-akilah-hughes-petiton-plagiarism-a7112936.html |url-status=live }}

BuzzFeed has been the subject of multiple copyright infringement lawsuits, for both using content it had no rights to and encouraging its proliferation without attributing its sources: one for an individual photographer's photograph,{{cite web|url=http://paidcontent.org/2013/06/18/photographer-sues-buzzfeed-for-3-6m-over-viral-sharing-model/|title=Photographer sues BuzzFeed for $3.6M over viral sharing model|first=Jeff|last=Roberts|date=June 18, 2013|website=paidcontent.org|access-date=March 9, 2014|archive-date=March 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309174048/http://paidcontent.org/2013/06/18/photographer-sues-buzzfeed-for-3-6m-over-viral-sharing-model/|url-status=dead}} and another for nine celebrity photographs from a single photography company.{{cite web|url=http://petapixel.com/2012/10/17/buzzfeed-sued-for-1-3m-after-publishing-9-celebrity-photos-without-permission/|title=BuzzFeed Sued for $1.3M After Publishing 9 Celebrity Photos Without Permission|work=PetaPixel|date=October 17, 2012|access-date=August 22, 2015|archive-date=March 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329042220/http://petapixel.com/2012/10/17/buzzfeed-sued-for-1-3m-after-publishing-9-celebrity-photos-without-permission/|url-status=live}}

In June 2020, BuzzFeed News senior reporter Ryan Broderick was fired after it was revealed he had "plagiarized or misattributed information in at least 11 of his articles."{{cite web | title=BuzzFeed News Fires Senior Reporter for Plagiarism | website=TheWrap | date=June 27, 2020 | url=https://www.thewrap.com/buzzfeed-news-fires-senior-reporter-plagiarism/ | language=la | access-date=June 27, 2020 | archive-date=June 28, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628104548/https://www.thewrap.com/buzzfeed-news-fires-senior-reporter-plagiarism/ | url-status=live }}

In October 2014, a Pew Research Center survey{{cite web|title=Political Polarization & Media Habits|url=http://www.journalism.org/2014/10/21/political-polarization-media-habits./|website=journalism.org|publisher=Pew Research Center|access-date=July 27, 2014|date=October 21, 2014|archive-date=October 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021170828/http://www.journalism.org/2014/10/21/political-polarization-media-habits./|url-status=live}} found that in the United States, BuzzFeed was viewed as an unreliable source by the majority of people, regardless of political affiliation.{{cite news|last1=Zhang|first1=Mona|title=Can BuzzFeed Be Trusted?|url=http://www.adweek.com/digital/can-buzzfeed-social-friendly-content-serious-journalism/|work=Adweek|date=October 21, 2014|access-date=January 8, 2018|archive-date=May 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200507040230/http://www.adweek.com/digital/can-buzzfeed-social-friendly-content-serious-journalism/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Engel|first1=Pamela|title=These are the most and least trusted news outlets in America|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/most-and-least-trusted-news-outlets-in-america-2017-3|work=Business Insider|date=March 27, 2017|language=en|access-date=January 8, 2018|archive-date=September 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930014439/https://www.businessinsider.com/most-and-least-trusted-news-outlets-in-america-2017-3|url-status=live}} Adweek noted that most respondents had not heard of BuzzFeed, and many users do not consider BuzzFeed a news site.{{cite news|first=Patrick|last=Coffee|date=October 21, 2014|title=Is BuzzFeed Really America's 'Least Trusted' News Source?|work=Adweek|url=http://www.adweek.com/digital/is-buzzfeed-really-americas-least-trusted-news-source/|access-date=January 8, 2018|archive-date=February 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200209042341/http://www.adweek.com/digital/is-buzzfeed-really-americas-least-trusted-news-source/|url-status=live}} In a subsequent Pew report based on 2014 surveys,{{cite web|title=Millennials and Political News|url=http://www.journalism.org/2015/06/01/millennials-political-news/|website=Pew Research Center's Journalism Project|date=June 1, 2015|access-date=January 8, 2018|archive-date=January 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106204237/http://www.journalism.org/2015/06/01/millennials-political-news/|url-status=live}} BuzzFeed was among the least trusted sources by millennials.{{cite news|last1=Ingram|first1=Mathew|title=Does BuzzFeed Have a Trust Problem?|url=http://fortune.com/2015/06/05/buzzfeed-trust-problem/|work=Fortune|date=June 5, 2015|language=en|access-date=January 8, 2018|archive-date=January 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108233310/http://fortune.com/2015/06/05/buzzfeed-trust-problem/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Ristau|first1=Reece|title=Study: Rush Limbaugh, Buzzfeed Among Least Trusted News Sources|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/rush-limbaugh-sean-hannity-glenn-becks-shows-buzzfeed-least-trusted-news-sources-1201509396/|work=Variety|date=June 1, 2015|access-date=January 29, 2018|archive-date=March 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319214316/https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/rush-limbaugh-sean-hannity-glenn-becks-shows-buzzfeed-least-trusted-news-sources-1201509396/|url-status=live}} A 2016 study by the Columbia Journalism Review found readers less likely to trust a story (originally published in Mother Jones) that appeared to originate on BuzzFeed than the same article on The New Yorker website.{{cite news|last1=Funt|first1=Danny|last2=Gourarie|first2=Chava|last3=Murtha|first3=Jack|title=The New Yorker, BuzzFeed, and the push for digital credibility|url=https://www.cjr.org/special_report/newyorker_buzzfeed_trust.php|work=Columbia Journalism Review|date=June 27, 2016|language=en|access-date=January 8, 2018|archive-date=January 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108174753/https://www.cjr.org/special_report/newyorker_buzzfeed_trust.php|url-status=live}} In a 2017 survey among US readers, BuzzFeed was voted the second least trustworthy source among American readers, with Occupy Democrats being lower-ranked.{{Cite web|last=Ruddick|first=Graham|date=2017-08-09|title=Four UK news sources among top 10 most trusted in US – survey|url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/aug/09/four-uk-news-sources-among-top-10-most-trusted-in-us-survey|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-16|website=The Guardian|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809130727/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/aug/09/four-uk-news-sources-among-top-10-most-trusted-in-us-survey |archive-date=August 9, 2017 }}

In January 2017, BuzzFeed again faced widespread criticism from many journalists and media officials, along with then-President elect Donald Trump, for publishing 35 pages of unverified memos in full, known as the Steele dossier.{{cite journal |last1=Harkiolakis |first1=Tatiana |title=BuzzFeed publishing the unverified Steele dossier: a brief case study |journal=International Journal of Teaching and Case Studies |date=2020 |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=65 |doi=10.1504/IJTCS.2020.108168}}{{Cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/01/10/media/buzzfeed-trump-report/index.html|title=BuzzFeed's publication of Trump memos draws controversy|first=Dylan|last=Byers|date=January 10, 2017|website=CNNMoney|access-date=September 21, 2020|archive-date=August 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813101720/https://money.cnn.com/2017/01/10/media/buzzfeed-trump-report/index.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/buzzfeed-trump-russia-2017-1|title=BuzzFeed published 35 pages of damaging, unverified claims against Trump|first=Chris|last=Sanchez|website=Business Insider|access-date=May 29, 2020|archive-date=June 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612134949/https://www.businessinsider.com/buzzfeed-trump-russia-2017-1|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://politi.co/2z8oYFL|title=Trump calls CNN 'fake news,' as channel defends its reporting on intelligence briefing|first=Kelsey|last=Sutton|website=Politico|date=January 11, 2017 |access-date=September 21, 2020|archive-date=April 23, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423172408/https://www.politico.com/blogs/on-media/2017/01/trump-refusing-to-answer-question-from-cnn-reporter-you-are-fake-news-233485|url-status=live}} In a highly publicized press conference following the publication of the memos, Trump referred to BuzzFeed as a "failing pile of garbage".{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/11/trump-attacks-cnn-buzzfeed-at-press-conference|title='You are fake news': Trump attacks CNN and BuzzFeed at press conference|first=Amber|last=Jamieson|newspaper=The Guardian |date=January 11, 2017|via=www.theguardian.com|access-date=April 15, 2020|archive-date=February 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202071838/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/11/trump-attacks-cnn-buzzfeed-at-press-conference|url-status=live}} Among the unverified claims in the memos was one that stated Trump's attorney Michael Cohen had met in August 2016 with Russian officials in Prague, Czech Republic, a claim that Cohen has vehemently denied.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/27/politics/michael-cohen-prague-testimony-russia/index.html|title=Michael Cohen denies under oath visiting Prague in 2016 to collude with Russians|first=Marshall|last=Cohen|website=CNN|date=February 28, 2019|access-date=May 29, 2020|archive-date=February 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190228032710/https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/27/politics/michael-cohen-prague-testimony-russia/index.html|url-status=live}}

On January 18, 2019, Robert Mueller's office disputed a BuzzFeed report stating that Trump instructed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress. A spokesman for Mueller's office characterized the BuzzFeed report as "not accurate".{{cite news |last1=Polantz |first1=Katelyn |last2=Kelly |first2=Caroline |date=January 19, 2019 |title=Mueller's Office Disputes Buzzfeed Report That Trump Directed Michael Cohen to Lie to Congress |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/18/politics/mueller-statement-buzzfeed/ |work=CNN |quote=BuzzFeed said in its own statement, '... We remain confident in the accuracy of our report.' ... The BuzzFeed reporters were unclear Friday in television interviews about whether they had seen the documents described in their story. |access-date=January 19, 2019 |archive-date=January 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119040139/https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/18/politics/mueller-statement-buzzfeed/ |url-status=live }}

Matthew Perpetua, BuzzFeed's director of quizzes, published a blog post in January 2019 after being laid off, revealing that many of the site's most popular quizzes were created by unpaid contributors.{{cite web | title=Fluxblog » Blog Archive » How Laid Off Are You? | website=Fluxblog | date=January 28, 2019 | url=http://www.fluxblog.org/2019/01/how-laid-off-are-you/ | access-date=February 1, 2019 | archive-date=January 31, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131190414/http://www.fluxblog.org/2019/01/how-laid-off-are-you/ | url-status=live }} Perpetua identified one college student in Michigan in particular as "the second-highest traffic driver worldwide."{{cite web | title=It's Not the Stuff of a Playful BuzzFeed Quiz | website=The New York Times | date=January 31, 2019 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/business/media/buzzfeed-layoffs.html | access-date=February 1, 2019 | archive-date=February 1, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201013023/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/business/media/buzzfeed-layoffs.html | url-status=live }} The student, Rachel McMahon, said that until she saw Perpetua's blog post, she never knew that her quizzes were so significant for BuzzFeed's traffic. The quizzes made an estimated $3.8 million for the media company.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/the-teenager-whose-quizzes-made-3-million-for-buzzfeed-not-for-her-l3gjg8lzg|title=The teenager whose quizzes made £3 million (for Buzzfeed, not for her)|first=Hilary|last=Rose|date=June 23, 2019 |via=www.thetimes.co.uk|access-date=February 11, 2020|archive-date=August 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801133211/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-teenager-whose-quizzes-made-3-million-for-buzzfeed-not-for-her-l3gjg8lzg|url-status=live}} According to the Detroit Free Press, she had never asked BuzzFeed about getting paid and the only material goods she received from them were four $30 Amazon gift certificates, a BuzzFeed sweatshirt and T-shirt and several water bottles.{{cite news |url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/nation/2019/01/31/unpaid-michigan-teen-hundreds-buzzfeed-quizzes-for-free/2730060002/ |title=Michigan teen who made 700 BuzzFeed quizzes for free will stop after staff layoffs |work=Detroit Free Press |date=January 31, 2019 |access-date=February 1, 2019 |archive-date=February 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201021013/https://www.freep.com/story/news/nation/2019/01/31/unpaid-michigan-teen-hundreds-buzzfeed-quizzes-for-free/2730060002/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Zhang |first1=Jenny G |title=BuzzFeed's Unpaid 19-Year-Old Quiz Genius on Her Tricks, the Layoffs, and Jonah Peretti |url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2019/01/buzzfeed-unpaid-quiz-genius-rachel-mcmahon-layoffs-working-for-free.html |access-date=February 1, 2019 |work=Slate|date=January 29, 2019 |archive-date=January 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131175137/https://slate.com/human-interest/2019/01/buzzfeed-unpaid-quiz-genius-rachel-mcmahon-layoffs-working-for-free.html |url-status=live }}

In April 2015, BuzzFeed drew scrutiny after Gawker observed the publication had deleted two posts that criticized advertisers.{{cite news |last=Trotter |first=JK |url=http://tktk.gawker.com/buzzfeed-deletes-post-critical-of-dove-a-buzzfeed-adve-1696852834 |title=BuzzFeed Deletes Post Critical of Dove, a BuzzFeed Advertiser |work=Gawker |date=April 9, 2015 |access-date=April 13, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413015738/http://tktk.gawker.com/buzzfeed-deletes-post-critical-of-dove-a-buzzfeed-adve-1696852834 |archive-date=April 13, 2015 }} One of the posts criticized Dove soap (manufactured by Unilever), while another criticized Hasbro.{{cite news|last1=Somaiya|first1=Ravi|title=BuzzFeed Restores 2 Posts Its Editor Deleted|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/11/business/media/buzzfeed-restores-2-posts-its-editor-had-deleted.html|access-date=April 19, 2015|work=The New York Times|date=April 10, 2015|archive-date=April 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422130145/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/11/business/media/buzzfeed-restores-2-posts-its-editor-had-deleted.html|url-status=live}} Both companies advertise with BuzzFeed. Ben Smith apologized in a memo to staff for his actions: "I blew it. Twice in the past couple of months, I've asked editors—over their better judgment and without any respect to our standards or process—to delete recently published posts from the site. Both involved the same thing: my overreaction to questions we've been wrestling with about the place of personal opinion pieces on our site. I reacted impulsively when I saw the posts and I was wrong to do that. We've reinstated both with a brief note".{{cite news |url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/04/10/buzzfeed-blew-it/ |title=BuzzFeed Editor-In-Chief Ben Smith Says He "Blew It" By Removing Post Criticizing Dove |work=TechCrunch |date=April 10, 2015 |access-date=April 13, 2015 |archive-date=April 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413001800/http://techcrunch.com/2015/04/10/buzzfeed-blew-it/ |url-status=live }} Days later, Arabelle Sicardi, one of the authors of the deleted posts, resigned.{{cite news|last=Trotter |first=JK |url=http://tktk.gawker.com/arabelle-sicardi-author-of-deleted-dove-post-resigns-1697580473 |title=Arabelle Sicardi, Author of Deleted Dove Post, Resigns From BuzzFeed |work=Gawker |date=April 13, 2015 |access-date=April 13, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414002911/http://tktk.gawker.com/arabelle-sicardi-author-of-deleted-dove-post-resigns-1697580473 |archive-date=April 14, 2015 }} An internal review by the company found three additional posts deleted for being critical of products or advertisements (by Microsoft, Pepsi, and Unilever).{{cite news|last1=Stack|first1=Liam|title=BuzzFeed Says Posts Were Deleted Because of Advertising Pressure|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/20/business/media/buzzfeed-says-posts-were-deleted-because-of-advertising-pressure.html|access-date=April 19, 2015|work=The New York Times|date=April 19, 2015|archive-date=October 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029185653/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/20/business/media/buzzfeed-says-posts-were-deleted-because-of-advertising-pressure.html|url-status=live}}

In 2016, the Advertising Standards Authority of the United Kingdom ruled that BuzzFeed broke the UK advertising rules for failing to make it clear that an article on "14 Laundry Fails We've All Experienced" that promoted Dylon was an online advertorial paid for by the brand.{{cite news|last1=Cookson|first1=Robert|title=Watchdog criticises BuzzFeed for misleading readers|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/81faa3f0-b935-11e5-b151-8e15c9a029fb.html#axzz3ywhUDaY3|access-date=February 1, 2016|work=Financial Times|date=January 13, 2016|archive-date=January 31, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131200336/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/81faa3f0-b935-11e5-b151-8e15c9a029fb.html#axzz3ywhUDaY3|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Sweney|first1=Mark|title=BuzzFeed breaks UK ad rules over misleading advertorial|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/jan/13/buzzfeed-breaks-uk-ad-rules-over-misleading-advertorial|access-date=February 1, 2016|work=The Guardian|date=January 13, 2016|archive-date=February 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201034942/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/jan/13/buzzfeed-breaks-uk-ad-rules-over-misleading-advertorial|url-status=live}} Although the ASA agreed with BuzzFeed's defense that links to the piece from its homepage and search results clearly labelled the article as "sponsored content", this failed to take into account that individuals might link to the story directly, ruling that the labeling "was not sufficient to make clear that the main content of the web page was an advertorial and that editorial content was therefore retained by the advertiser".{{cite web|title=ASA Ruling on Henkel Ltd|url=https://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications/2016/1/Henkel-Ltd/SHP_ADJ_315653.aspx#.Vq-wE7KLTIU|website=ASA.org.uk|publisher=Advertising Standards Agency|access-date=February 1, 2016|archive-date=February 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205143644/https://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications/2016/1/Henkel-Ltd/SHP_ADJ_315653.aspx#.Vq-wE7KLTIU|url-status=live}}

In February 2016, Scaachi Koul, a Senior Writer for BuzzFeed Canada, tweeted a request for pitches stating that BuzzFeed was "...looking for mostly non-white non-men" followed by "If you are a white man upset that we are looking mostly for non-white non-men I don't care about you go write for Maclean's." When confronted, she followed with the tweet "White men are still permitted to pitch, I will read it, I will consider it. I'm just less interested because, ugh, men." In response to the tweets that were deemed racist and sexist, Koul began receiving a barrage of hate comments and threats of violence.{{cite news|last1=June|first1=Laura|title=Talking About Diversity Earns Men Praise, Women Rape Threats|url=https://nymag.com/thecut/2016/02/scaachi-koul-buzzfeed-media-diversity-rape-threats.html|access-date=March 28, 2016|work=New York Magazine|date=February 26, 2016|archive-date=March 31, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331102851/http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/02/scaachi-koul-buzzfeed-media-diversity-rape-threats.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Chin|first1=Jessica|title=Scaachi Koul, BuzzFeed Writer, Harassed After Call For 'Not White And Not Male' Contributors|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/02/21/scaachi-koul-buzzfeed_n_9285946.html|access-date=March 28, 2016|work=HuffPost Canada|date=February 21, 2016|archive-date=April 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404140650/http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/02/21/scaachi-koul-buzzfeed_n_9285946.html|url-status=live}} Sarmishta Subramanian, a former colleague of Koul's, writing for Maclean's, condemned the reaction to the tweets, and stated that Koul's request for diversity was appropriate. Subramanian said that her provocative approach raised concerns of tokenism that might hamper BuzzFeed's stated goals.{{cite news|last1=Subramanian|first1=Sarmishta|title=What's missing in the outrage about media diversity|url=http://www.macleans.ca/society/whats-missing-in-the-outrage-about-media-diversity/|access-date=March 28, 2016|work=Maclean's|date=February 29, 2016|archive-date=March 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327235556/http://www.macleans.ca/society/whats-missing-in-the-outrage-about-media-diversity/|url-status=live}} In January 2019, BuzzFeed announced that it would cut its workforce by 15%.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/25/business/media/buzzfeed-layoffs.html|title=BuzzFeed's First Round of Layoffs Puts an End to Its National News Desk|last=Peiser|first=Jaclyn|date=January 25, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 4, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=April 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404121207/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/25/business/media/buzzfeed-layoffs.html|url-status=live}} In July 2019 BuzzFeed announced that it would voluntarily recognize an employee union.{{cite news|last1=Subramanian|first1=Sarmishta|title=BuzzFeed voluntarily recognizes union|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-19/buzzfeed-reaches-deal-to-recognize-union-after-months-of-talks|access-date=July 22, 2018|work=Maclean's|date=July 22, 2019|archive-date=July 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722185352/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-19/buzzfeed-reaches-deal-to-recognize-union-after-months-of-talks|url-status=live}}

BuzzFeed states in its editorial guide that "we firmly believe that for a number of issues, including civil rights, women's rights, anti-racism, and LGBT equality, there are not two sides."{{cite news |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/shani/the-buzzfeed-editorial-standards-and-ethics-guide |title=The BuzzFeed News Standards And Ethics Guide |work=BuzzFeed News |access-date=November 7, 2018 |archive-date=January 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108213436/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/shani/the-buzzfeed-editorial-standards-and-ethics-guide |url-status=live }} The Week{{'}}s correspondent Ryan Cooper and American Enterprise Institute's senior fellow Timothy P. Carney at the Washington Examiner raised questions about whether BuzzFeed undermines its credibility by taking sides on political issues.{{cite news|last=Cooper|first=Ryan|url=https://theweek.com/articles/568321/why-buzzfeeds-ethics-guide-incoherent-mess|title=Why BuzzFeed's ethics guide is an incoherent mess|date=July 28, 2015|work=The Week|access-date=November 7, 2018|archive-date=November 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107145051/https://theweek.com/articles/568321/why-buzzfeeds-ethics-guide-incoherent-mess|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/buzzfeed-shows-how-silly-pretenses-of-neutrality-leads-to-intolerant-contortions|title=BuzzFeed shows how silly pretenses of neutrality leads to intolerant contortions|last=Carney|first=Timothy P.|date=June 29, 2015|work=Washington Examiner|access-date=March 6, 2019|archive-date=April 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417105045/https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/buzzfeed-shows-how-silly-pretenses-of-neutrality-leads-to-intolerant-contortions|url-status=live}} In June 2015, BuzzFeed and websites like the Huffington Post and Mashable temporarily changed the theme of their social media avatars to rainbow colors to celebrate same-sex marriage being ruled constitutional in the United States.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2015/06/should-news-outlets-declare-allegiances-209576 |title=Should news outlets declare allegiances? |last=Byers |first=Dylan |date=June 26, 2015 |work=Politico|access-date=March 6, 2019 |archive-date=May 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518200646/https://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2015/06/should-news-outlets-declare-allegiances-209576 |url-status=live }}

In June 2016, the left-leaning media watchdog Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting found that in 100 BuzzFeed stories about Barack Obama, 65 were positive, 34 were neutral, and one was critical. The report called BuzzFeed's coverage of Obama "creepy" and "almost uniformly uncritical and often sycophantic."{{cite news |url=https://fair.org/home/buzzfeeds-obama-coverage-is-99-percent-uncritical-and-borderline-creepy/ |title=BuzzFeed's Obama Coverage Is 99 Percent Uncritical–and Borderline Creepy |date=June 30, 2016 |publisher=Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting |access-date=November 7, 2018 |archive-date=November 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107104023/https://fair.org/home/buzzfeeds-obama-coverage-is-99-percent-uncritical-and-borderline-creepy/ |url-status=live }} BuzzFeed has partnered with Obama on a get-out-the-vote campaign.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/on-media/2016/06/with-help-from-obama-buzzfeed-launches-get-out-the-vote-initiative-224844 |title=With help from President Obama, BuzzFeed launches get-out-the-vote initiative |work=Politico|access-date=November 7, 2018 |archive-date=November 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107104407/https://www.politico.com/blogs/on-media/2016/06/with-help-from-obama-buzzfeed-launches-get-out-the-vote-initiative-224844 |url-status=live }} During the same month, BuzzFeed cancelled an advertising agreement with the Republican National Committee over what BuzzFeed founder Jonah Peretti called "offensive remarks" made by Donald Trump. Peretti said: "We certainly don't like to turn away revenue that funds all the important work we do across the company. However, in some cases we must make business exceptions: we don't run cigarette ads because they are hazardous to our health, and we won't accept Trump ads for the exact same reason."{{Cite news |url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article82027597.html |title=BuzzFeed says Trump is 'hazardous to our health,' bails on RNC ad buy |date=June 6, 2016 |work=The Sacramento Bee |access-date=November 7, 2018 |issn=0890-5738 |archive-date=October 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011062406/https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article82027597.html |url-status=live }}

In January 2017, BuzzFeed released what became known as the "Steele dossier", an uncorroborated private intelligence report that alleges several salacious accusations of Trump. Margaret Sullivan at The Washington Post wrote of the release: "It's a bad idea, and always has been, to publish unverified smears."{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/12/why-so-many-journalists-are-mad-at-buzzfeed/ |title=Why so many journalists are mad at BuzzFeed |last=Borchers |first=Callum |date=January 12, 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=March 6, 2019 |archive-date=November 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107104136/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/12/why-so-many-journalists-are-mad-at-buzzfeed/ |url-status=live }} David Graham at The Atlantic called it "an abdication of the basic responsibility of journalism."{{cite news |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/why-did-buzzfeed-publish-the-trump-dossier/512771/ |title=The Trouble With Publishing the Trump Dossier |last=Graham |first=David A. |date=January 11, 2017 |work=The Atlantic |access-date=November 7, 2018 |archive-date=January 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106135920/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/why-did-buzzfeed-publish-the-trump-dossier/512771/ |url-status=live }} NBC's Chuck Todd called the release of the document "fake news".{{cite news |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/chuck-todd-ben-smith-buzzfeed-trump-2017-1 |title=Chuck Todd hammers BuzzFeed editor over explosive Trump report: 'You just published fake news' |work=Business Insider|last=Abadi |first=Mark |access-date=March 6, 2019 |archive-date=November 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116034740/https://www.businessinsider.com/chuck-todd-ben-smith-buzzfeed-trump-2017-1 |url-status=live }} Ben Smith defended the decision to release the document from accusations that it was done out of partisanship, arguing that the dossier is of "obvious central public importance."{{Cite news |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/368442-buzzfeed-editor-defends-publication-of-dossier |title=BuzzFeed editor defends publication of dossier |last=Greenwood |first=Max |date=January 10, 2018 |work=The Hill|access-date=November 7, 2018 |archive-date=February 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210216145615/https://thehill.com/homenews/media/368442-buzzfeed-editor-defends-publication-of-dossier |url-status=live }}

In 2017, BuzzFeed won Webby Awards for Best News App and Best Interview/Talk Show (for Another Round),{{cite news|last1=Ifeanyi|first1=K. C.|title=Here Are The Winners Of The 21st Annual Webby Awards|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/40411830/here-are-the-winners-of-the-21st-annual-webby-awards|work=Fast Company|date=April 25, 2017|access-date=December 27, 2017|archive-date=April 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428053547/https://www.fastcompany.com/40411830/here-are-the-winners-of-the-21st-annual-webby-awards|url-status=live}} and president Greg Coleman was named Publishing Executive of the Year by Digiday.{{cite news|title=BuzzFeed's Greg Coleman is Publishing Executive of the Year at the Digiday Publishing Awards|url=https://digiday.com/awards/buzzfeeds-greg-coleman-publishing-executive-year-digiday-publishing-awards/|work=Digiday|date=March 23, 2017|access-date=January 1, 2018|archive-date=January 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101194419/https://digiday.com/awards/buzzfeeds-greg-coleman-publishing-executive-year-digiday-publishing-awards/|url-status=live}}

In 2018, staff of BuzzFeed news was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in their international reporting category for their article that "proved that operatives with apparent ties to Vladimir Putin have engaged in a targeted killing campaign against his perceived enemies on British and American soil".{{Cite web|url=https://www.pulitzer.org/finalists/staff-buzzfeed-news|title=Finalist: Staff of BuzzFeed News|website=www.pulitzer.org|language=en|access-date=March 30, 2019|archive-date=March 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330181720/https://www.pulitzer.org/finalists/staff-buzzfeed-news|url-status=live}} BuzzFeed later won a Pulitzer Prize in 2021 in the international reporting category for an investigative series about the Xinjiang internment camps.

• Mashable
• Mic
• The Take
• Upworthy
• Vice Media
• Vox Media

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |last1=Küng |first1=Lucy |date=2015 |chapter=BuzzFeed – Making Life More Interesting for the Hundreds of Millions Bored at Work |title=Innovators in Digital News |publisher=I. B. Tauris & Co |isbn=978-1784534165 |pages=55–74}}

{{commons category}}

• {{official website|https://www.buzzfeed.com}}

{{Finance links

| name = BuzzFeed, Inc.

| symbol = BZFD

| reuters = BZFD.O

| bloomberg = BZFD:US

| sec_cik = 1828972

| yahoo = BZFD

| google = BZFD

}}

{{BuzzFeed}}

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