5 ms·

> Confirmation bias is fake news. Because you only pick up the details that fit your narrative, shutting down everything else. That's a pretty weak strawman.

> Confirmation bias is fake news. Because you only pick up the details that fit your narrative, shutting down everything else. That's a pretty weak strawman. As a non-US citizen who never set foot near the US, I found the MAGA story to be a pretty blatant example of fake news that was clearly pushed in spite of any fact check or impartiality. When I first saw the video pushed by US's media corporations my first reaction was to have a very negative opinion about the kid in particular and the whole political movement in general. But afterwards I had the opportunity to see the whole video, without being subjected to the blatant manipulation, and the real story is radically different than the narrative that was pushed by the media. Any journalist and specially editors who had access to the video clearly knew they were blatantly lying to the public and were intentionally misrepresenting the events, but they did so to push their agenda. This has nothing to do with confirmation bias.

ekianjo 8y ago
You are talking about one story. I'm talking about news in general. I don't think most journalists are deliberately lying most of the time, but it's much more likely they suffer from confirmation bias - that's something we are all subject to, by the way. But journalists should go the extra mile, it'S their job after all: they are not supposed to be activists.
- geezerjay 8y ago
  > You are talking about one story. I'm talking about news in general. I'm pointing a clear example where there was a general push for a falsified news report to push a narrative. There is no way around this. Other examples also exist, but they fly under the radar or aren't so eggregious.
- surge 8y ago
  They also feed off themselves on Twitter and it becomes the cyclical thing where the only viewpoint they see is their own.
weberc2 8y ago
I interpreted the OP as agreeing with you. I think you might be misunderstanding each other or I’m misunderstanding someone.
cannonedhamster 8y ago
The MAGA story wasn't fake news. The kids were there to stir up controversy about abortion rights and wore MAGA hats because they knew it would be inflammatory. They also told the native American that "stealing land is just how it's done" and were very obviously making comments at him. Yes the Black Israelites were terrible people making terrible comments, but let's not hold the kids or especially the school blameless. This is the same school that used to think dressing in blackface, black painted faces with pink or white lips, was okay (there's no problem dressing in all black without the paint). This school knowingly sent kids into a political arena and this is the fallout. Perhaps the school should avoid using children as political props in the future.
- geezerjay 8y ago
  > The MAGA story wasn't fake news. The kids were there to stir up controversy Are you nuts? The kids were standing there exercising their very american right to peacefully assemble and exercise their free speech. Then the counterprotesters crashed the kids' gathering and started chanting right in the face of those kids trying to draw a reaction specifically for the cameras. The only reaction that the activists managed to draw were grins from a random kid and somehow that's enough for the media to cherry-pick footage to vilify a political movement that is supported by the majority of americans and in the process ruin a kid's life. In who's mind is this ok? > about abortion rights and wore MAGA hats because they knew it would be inflammatory. Whether you like it or not, a large number of americans (if not the majority) do hold those opinions, and if you expect to live in a free and open democracy you don't get to fabricate hit pieces in the form of fake news to vilify those who don't share your opinion.
  - cannonedhamster 8y ago
    I don't have a problem with protesting, free speech, or even speech I disagree with. Civil discourse is important, kind of like we're having here. Claiming these kids were innocent victims of media is just as disingenuous as claiming the first story was completely accurate. The fact is the kids did go there to create controversy and didn't like it when it came with media attention, good or bad. It's like showing up to a WWE match and claiming surprise when someone uses a weapon in the ring.I go back to my original stance of don't use kids as political props and they won't be treated like it.

ekianjo 8y ago

You are talking about one story. I'm talking about news in general. I don't think most journalists are deliberately lying most of the time, but it's much more likely they suffer from confirmation bias - that's something we are all subject to, by the way. But journalists should go the extra mile, it'S their job after all: they are not supposed to be activists.

geezerjay 8y ago
> You are talking about one story. I'm talking about news in general. I'm pointing a clear example where there was a general push for a falsified news report to push a narrative. There is no way around this. Other examples also exist, but they fly under the radar or aren't so eggregious.
surge 8y ago
They also feed off themselves on Twitter and it becomes the cyclical thing where the only viewpoint they see is their own.

weberc2 8y ago

I interpreted the OP as agreeing with you. I think you might be misunderstanding each other or I’m misunderstanding someone.

cannonedhamster 8y ago

The MAGA story wasn't fake news. The kids were there to stir up controversy about abortion rights and wore MAGA hats because they knew it would be inflammatory. They also told the native American that "stealing land is just how it's done" and were very obviously making comments at him. Yes the Black Israelites were terrible people making terrible comments, but let's not hold the kids or especially the school blameless. This is the same school that used to think dressing in blackface, black painted faces with pink or white lips, was okay (there's no problem dressing in all black without the paint). This school knowingly sent kids into a political arena and this is the fallout. Perhaps the school should avoid using children as political props in the future.

geezerjay 8y ago
> The MAGA story wasn't fake news. The kids were there to stir up controversy Are you nuts? The kids were standing there exercising their very american right to peacefully assemble and exercise their free speech. Then the counterprotesters crashed the kids' gathering and started chanting right in the face of those kids trying to draw a reaction specifically for the cameras. The only reaction that the activists managed to draw were grins from a random kid and somehow that's enough for the media to cherry-pick footage to vilify a political movement that is supported by the majority of americans and in the process ruin a kid's life. In who's mind is this ok? > about abortion rights and wore MAGA hats because they knew it would be inflammatory. Whether you like it or not, a large number of americans (if not the majority) do hold those opinions, and if you expect to live in a free and open democracy you don't get to fabricate hit pieces in the form of fake news to vilify those who don't share your opinion.
- cannonedhamster 8y ago
  I don't have a problem with protesting, free speech, or even speech I disagree with. Civil discourse is important, kind of like we're having here. Claiming these kids were innocent victims of media is just as disingenuous as claiming the first story was completely accurate. The fact is the kids did go there to create controversy and didn't like it when it came with media attention, good or bad. It's like showing up to a WWE match and claiming surprise when someone uses a weapon in the ring.I go back to my original stance of don't use kids as political props and they won't be treated like it.