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Why does the "Media Bias Fact Checker" - Bot gets downvoted so much lately? (lemmy.world)

submitted 4 months ago by Roflmasterbigpimp to c/asklemmy

163 comments fedilink hide all child comments

No comments or anything, just lots of Downvotes.

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[–] Maggoty 113 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Because it's biased itself. They whitewash far right conservative sources while listing anything that tries to remain neutral and fact based as having a left bias. Left center to be exact. Then they put far right stuff in "right center" to make you think it's equivalent.

Their factual rating is largely subjective as well. With similar amounts of failed fact checks getting different ratings.

So basically the guys who want to be the guardians of fact and bias are themselves acting in a biased manner instead of an objective one.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I only ever hear people mention “far right” (not familiar with this bot).

Are there any sources that you, yourself, would consider “right center”?

[–] Maggoty 8 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

~~Bloomberg~~, Forbes, and Fox News jump to mind.

Edit - you know looking at Bloomberg's site again I think you could make an argument for it but it does appear to be mostly concerned with fact based news centered on the finance industry. I'm just used to seeing shit guest opinion articles from them.

Edit edit - in their place I offer up CNBC with their personal finance propaganda perpetually trying to convince Americans they just aren't budgeting well enough.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

Financial times, Newsweek

[+] [email protected] -23 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Because it’s biased itself. They whitewash far right conservative sources while listing anything that tries to remain neutral and fact based as having a left bias. Left center to be exact. Then they put far right stuff in “right center” to make you think it’s equivalent.

Source?

[–] Maggoty 41 points 4 months ago (2 children)

You can check the categories on the MBFC website yourself but a couple choice picks in the "right center" category are the Ayn Rand Institute, advocates for self governance, and American Action Network.

The first two are libertarian and pro Anarcho Capitalism. The second one attempts to masquerade as a non political education tool about politics. And third is a partisan group that runs campaign ads for the GOP.

Meanwhile in left center we have NYT, WAPO, and BBC.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Do you consider the GOP to be “far right”?

[–] Maggoty 3 points 4 months ago

I see how that happened. If you check down thread though you'll see I would rate a campaign organization for the GOP as right, not far right.

[+] [email protected] -31 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You can check the categories on the MBFC website yourself but a couple choice picks in the “right center” category are the Ayn Rand Institute, advocates for self governance, and American Action Network.

The first two are libertarian and pro Anarcho Capitalism. The second one attempts to masquerade as a non political education tool about politics. And third is a partisan group that runs campaign ads for the GOP.

Meanwhile in left center we have NYT, WAPO, and BBC.

Looking through all the sources you mentioned, especially the center-right sources, the ratings tend to be accurate. Did you expect the center right sources to be rated as far right and the center left sources to be rated as right wing?

[–] Maggoty 33 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I expect the fact based objective sources to be rated as center/not biased. And sources calling for a complete destruction of liberal democracy to be far right, yes. The campaign site should be listed under Right as it's transparently a partisan organization.

The comparison with leftists here would be if they listed Anarcho-Communists as "left center". But then your response tells me everything I need to know. You've gone right into exaggerated rhetoric meant to paint me as someone from the far left.