The hottest Political Bias Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top U.S. Politics Topics

How The Mainstream Media Can Regain Trust

Erick Erickson's Confessions of a Political Junkie • 1678 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Trust Political Bias Public Opinion Trust Issues
  1. Mainstream media needs to include more conservative voices to rebuild trust with a wider audience. It's important for newsrooms to have diverse opinions to reflect different viewpoints.
  2. Many people are unhappy with media biases, especially when they observe one-sided reporting. Addressing these concerns can help in winning back lost subscribers.
  3. Having conservative editors and reporters is crucial for changing the left-leaning perspective in news coverage. This would make the news feel more balanced and trustworthy.

We Tried to Warn You

Unsafe Science • 739 implied HN points • 13 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Academia Political Bias Social justice Conservatism
  1. Academia has faced significant challenges due to its left-leaning politicization. This could lead to a backlash against academic institutions and funding.
  2. Dissident academics have been warning about the danger of mixing politics with education for many years. Ignoring these warnings has resulted in serious issues within academia.
  3. There is a growing divide and polarization between academics and political figures, which may weaken the credibility and influence of academic work.

How did the polls do in 2024? It’s complicated.

Silver Bulletin • 312 implied HN points • 17 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Polling Elections Public Opinion Data Analysis Political Bias
  1. Polls in 2024 had a lower average error than in previous years, which shows improvement in their accuracy. However, most polls underestimated Republican candidates, particularly Trump.
  2. There was a consistent bias in polls, leaning towards Democrats over the past three elections. This trend is concerning as it suggests a systematic issue with polling methods.
  3. Polling accuracy in calling election winners was lower in 2024 compared to past years. Close races should be seen as uncertain, and small leads in polls don't mean much.

Cause or Effect?

Disaffected Newsletter • 899 implied HN points • 26 Aug 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Bias Health Policy Public Opinion Political endorsements Social Commentary
  1. Robert Kennedy Jr. surprised many by endorsing Donald Trump and focusing on children's health in his announcement.
  2. Andrew Hartz is working to remove political bias from therapy, making it easier for people to find therapists who won't judge them.
  3. The discussion includes satire about various public figures and the voting habits of young women.

The rise and fall of "fact-checking"

Silver Bulletin • 824 implied HN points • 08 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Misinformation Fact-checking Political Bias Social media
  1. Facebook is getting rid of fact-checkers because they were seen as biased. They will be replaced with a community notes system, letting users help decide what is true.
  2. Fact-checking has always been part of journalism, but it became a separate role after the 2016 election. Many thought it was necessary to fight misinformation, but it also created trust issues.
  3. There are concerns that community-driven fact-checking might not work well on a large platform like Facebook. The idea is that everyone should be checking facts, not just a few designated people.
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Do OpenAI's New Reasoning Models (o1 Series) Differ Politically from Their Predecessors?

Rozado’s Visual Analytics • 150 implied HN points • 28 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Models Data Analysis Reasoning Political Bias Model development
  1. OpenAI's new o1 models are designed to solve problems better by thinking through their answers first. However, they are much slower and cost more to run than previous models.
  2. The political preferences of these new models are similar to earlier versions, despite the new reasoning abilities. This means they still lean left when answering political questions.
  3. Even with their advanced reasoning, these models didn't change their political views, which leads to questions about how reasoning and political bias work together in AI.

Measuring Political Preferences in AI Systems – An Integrative Approach

Rozado’s Visual Analytics • 183 implied HN points • 23 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Bias AI Ethics Language Models Policy Analysis
  1. Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT may show political biases, but measuring these biases can be complicated. The biases could be more visible in detailed AI-generated text rather than in straightforward responses.
  2. Different types of LLMs exist, like base models that work from scratch and conversational models that are fine-tuned to respond well to users. These models often lean towards left-leaning language when generating text.
  3. By using a combination of methods to check for political bias in AI systems, researchers found that most conversational LLMs lean left, but some models are less biased. Understanding AI biases is essential for improving these systems.

Top North Carolina judge faces potential sanctions for talking about racial discrimination

Popular Information • 12539 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Judicial system Free speech Investigation Political Bias
  1. North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls is facing sanctions for speaking out about racial discrimination within the court system.
  2. Earls filed a lawsuit against the Judicial Standards Commission asserting her right to free speech as an elected Justice.
  3. There is a dispute over whether Earls' comments on systemic issues in the judiciary constitute protected political speech.

The majority of news influencers are conservative men, study finds

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 4448 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media influence Political Bias Gender Issues Social media Public Discourse
  1. Most news influencers are men, and they often have conservative views. This creates a lopsided perspective in the news people consume online.
  2. Social media algorithms tend to favor sensational and emotionally charged content, which means that conservative voices get more attention. This can shape public opinions unfairly.
  3. TikTok is different from other platforms like Facebook and YouTube, as it has a more balanced gender representation among news influencers and doesn't favor conservative views as much.

Are Trump Voters Misinformed, Or Were Harris Voters Just Not Given A Chance To Be Misinformed?

Singal-Minded • 1147 implied HN points • 11 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Surveys Voter Behavior Political Bias Public Opinion
  1. Some surveys might show that Trump voters are more misinformed than Harris voters, but this could be due to bias in the questions asked.
  2. Americans often answer political questions based on feelings or general ideas rather than specific facts, so misinformation can come from both sides.
  3. The way questions are framed can lead to results that unfairly label one group as less informed than the other, proving we need balanced questions for fair evaluation.

You don't have to endorse anyone, you can just vote (and other thoughts on the election)

The Intrinsic Perspective • 4533 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Endorsements Voting Political Bias
  1. Endorsements from celebrities and public figures are more common now in elections. Many famous people have publicly supported candidates like Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
  2. Polls and prediction markets are often unreliable in predicting election outcomes. Their predictions don't always match the real results.
  3. Voting should be seen as an expression of your values. You don’t need to endorse someone to make your voice heard at the polls.

American Elections Are Unfair

Cremieux Recueil • 446 implied HN points • 05 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Voting Democracy Political Bias Reform
  1. Many American elections have unfair practices, especially how candidates are listed on ballots. This can give a big advantage to candidates whose names appear earlier alphabetically.
  2. The media can influence election outcomes by favoring certain candidates, which makes the elections feel less fair. Bias from media coverage can pressure voters and affect their choices.
  3. Fixing the unfairness in elections is easy. Simple changes like randomizing ballot order can make a big difference in creating a fair voting process.

An Analysis of AI Political Preferences from a European Perspective

Rozado’s Visual Analytics • 383 implied HN points • 28 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Bias AI Ethics Policy Analysis European Politics Political Ideologies
  1. Most AI models show a clear left-leaning bias in their policy recommendations for Europe and the UK. They often suggest ideas like social housing and rent control.
  2. AI models have a tendency to view left-leaning political leaders and parties more positively compared to their right-leaning counterparts. This means they are more favorable towards leftist ideologies.
  3. When discussing extreme political views, AI models generally express negative sentiments towards far-right ideas, while being more neutral toward far-left ones.

Higher Ed is a Woke Seminary

Bet On It • 110 implied HN points • 19 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Higher education Political Bias Social Issues Podcasting
  1. Many people believe that American universities have a strong left-leaning bias in their teachings. This perspective has been noticeable for a long time.
  2. There’s a concern that so-called 'woke' ideas and beliefs from colleges may influence society and culture more than previously thought.
  3. The discussion around education and its political leanings is ongoing and important to understand the impact on students and the wider community.

Weekend Report: What's happening?

The Signorile Report • 839 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Media Political Bias
  1. President Biden faced a politically motivated hit job by a Trump-appointed special counsel, causing anger among Democrats and progressives.
  2. The special counsel exceeded his scope and produced a report with clear signs of political bias, prompting questions about Attorney General Merrick Garland's role.
  3. The corporate media fell into the trap set by the special counsel, potentially facing a situation where history might not repeat itself like it did with James Comey's report on Hillary Clinton.

The Counter-Disinformation Industry Promotes Left-wing Groupthink, Not Truth

Journal of Free Black Thought • 56 implied HN points • 17 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Disinformation Media Criticism Political Bias Censorship Public Trust
  1. The counter-disinformation industry mainly promotes left-wing ideas instead of truth. This means they often dismiss or ignore viewpoints that don't align with their beliefs.
  2. Many people in this industry don't believe in objective truth, which makes it hard for them to identify misinformation properly. Their focus on agreement among like-minded people leads to groupthink.
  3. To avoid misinformation, it's important for people to seek diverse perspectives and think critically about the information they encounter. Engaging with a variety of views helps to better understand complex issues.

An Open Letter To Open-Minded Harris Voters

Zero HP Lovecraft • 120 implied HN points • 06 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Voting Political Bias Campaigns Public Opinion
  1. Polling can be biased and often underestimate supporters of certain candidates. Many polls showed high Democratic enthusiasm that didn't match the voting results.
  2. There is a belief that media and academic views can be heavily influenced by biases, especially when they align with certain political perspectives. This can affect how information is presented to the public.
  3. Some people feel excluded or attacked for their identity in today's conversation about race and gender. This sentiment can create a divide and affect the way political campaigns relate to different groups.

Happy Halloween/U.S. Presidential Election

Bet On It • 80 implied HN points • 31 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Political Bias Voting Campaigns Public Opinion
  1. It’s important to think about the connection between Halloween and the upcoming U.S. Presidential Election. Both events bring out strong emotions and opinions in people.
  2. A lot of people feel they might lose no matter who wins an election, which can create a sense of hopelessness.
  3. Bias can affect how we see problems and solutions, and being aware of that can help us think more clearly.

Fulton County District Attorney Responds to Trump

SHERO • 609 implied HN points • 16 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legal Investigation Prosecution Political Bias Grand Jury
  1. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis responded to Trump's motion by asking the judge to dismiss it.
  2. Willis argued that Trump and Latham failed to prove their claims on due process rights and the grand jury process.
  3. A group of media outlets objected to Trump's request to quash the special grand jury report, emphasizing public concern.

America's Rogues in Robes

Diane Francis • 599 implied HN points • 27 Jun 22
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Supreme Court Gun Control Abortion rights Political Bias Public Opinion
  1. America's Supreme Court is seen as biased and out of touch with public opinion, especially regarding issues like abortion and gun control. Many Americans support these rights, but the Court's decisions reflect political gains instead.
  2. The Supreme Court's recent rulings are causing concern over social unrest and safety, as they may encourage more gun carry rights while limiting abortion access. This creates a more dangerous environment for individuals in the country.
  3. There's a growing divide in America, with differing access to abortion based on state laws. Many people feel frustrated and are encouraged to vote for candidates who support their rights, hoping to change the current direction.

Did Republicans die more during the pandemic bc they didn't get the vax?

Vinay Prasad's Observations and Thoughts • 209 implied HN points • 29 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Pandemic response Political Bias Vaccine distribution Health Disparities Public Health
  1. A recent paper suggests that Republicans were more likely to die during the pandemic due to not getting vaccinated.
  2. The paper had flaws in its methodology and did not consider factors like age, BMI, and vaccination status.
  3. Criticism of Republicans for not getting vaccinated highlights a double standard in how different groups are treated in research and society.

Commentator

Castalia • 99 implied HN points • 25 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Bias AI Impact Colonialism War Analysis Public Health
  1. AI technology is evolving quickly, but it comes with biases based on who programs it. This can lead to different chatbots representing very different viewpoints.
  2. Russia's actions in Ukraine are rooted in a complex history of imperialism that challenges the modern idea of the nation-state. It's seen as a form of colonialism, impacting cultural identity and governance.
  3. The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked debates about freedom and government control. There's a call to revisit decisions made during that time to ensure better approaches in the future.

Fact Check: José Javier Olivas-Osuna's review of Citizen Lab's CatalanGate report

untidy • 39 implied HN points • 16 Mar 23
🌍 World Politics Investigation Political Bias Transparency
  1. Citizen Lab's CatalanGate report stated that individuals in Spain were targeted with spyware, suspected to be connected to Spanish authorities.
  2. José Javier Olivas-Osuna's review of the report criticized Citizen Lab's work and requested an independent investigation from the University of Toronto.
  3. Olivas-Osuna made claims in his review that were proven false by fact-checking, such as misrepresenting the number of victims and allegations of bias in Citizen Lab's report.

A.G. Sulzberger vs. The New York Times

networked • 71 implied HN points • 26 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Political Bias Election coverage White House Trump administration
  1. A.G. Sulzberger emphasizes the importance of journalistic independence and following facts wherever they lead.
  2. The dissonance between Sulzberger's vision for journalism and the daily reality of The New York Times is evident in the paper's reporting practices.
  3. The Times has a history of providing political cover for powerful individuals, including Trump, Ivanka, and Jared Kushner.

POTUS, SCOTUS, and the Danger of Normalcy Bias

JoeWrote • 20 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Democracy Supreme Court Political Bias Political parties Presidential elections
  1. The Republican Party is not normal, and it's crucial to stop pretending that it is.
  2. Normalcy Bias is a significant societal issue, leading to a lack of action in recognizing and addressing threats, particularly from the Republican Party.
  3. The GOP has never been a 'normal' party, historically filled with fascism, racism, and a desire for Christian theocracy, and it's unlikely to change even with shifts in leadership.

The marketplace of rationalisations

Optimally Irrational • 18 implied HN points • 07 Dec 23
🚌 Education Media influence Information Consumption Political Bias Consumer behavior
  1. Consumers shape the features of the modern public sphere by driving the demand for biased information.
  2. Providers of rationalisations compete on quality in a marketplace where reputation plays a crucial role.
  3. Market dynamics in the information sphere highlight agglomeration economies, the influence of demand on supply, and the risk of audience capture.

On Fox and Facebook

Diane Francis • 79 implied HN points • 25 Jan 21
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship Political Bias Regulation Public Safety
  1. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have been criticized for their role in spreading false and harmful content, especially before major events like riots. They also face backlash for how they handle censorship.
  2. Fox News has been accused of promoting biased narratives while ignoring responsible journalism. They often push misinformation but cry foul when tech companies fight back against harmful speech.
  3. There is a call for stricter regulations on both tech companies and traditional media to ensure accountability. Countries like Germany have taken steps to combat hate speech online, suggesting the U.S. should do the same.

Comparing Free Expression On Campus v. Off

Symbolic Capital(ism) • 0 implied HN points • 19 Apr 19
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Free speech Censorship Public Opinion Political Bias
  1. College students are more likely to self-censor and support censoring others, despite being in environments meant for free thinking and expression.
  2. Conservative students often fear being graded harshly for their political views, leading to self-censorship, although evidence of actual grading discrimination is lacking.
  3. Students feel less comfortable discussing social issues, even academic topics, on campus compared to the general public, and they tend to support censorship across various issues.