Question

use of news aggregators can be a way for people to avoid partisan slant and bias in their news. group of answer choices true false

Answer 1

The use of news aggregators does not necessarily help avoid partisan slant and bias; instead, they may contribute to confirmation bias as users can still choose content that reflects their views. Thus, false.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that the use of news aggregators can be a way for people to avoid partisan slant and bias in their news is false. News aggregators compile articles from various sources, but they do not inherently filter out bias; users can still selectively read articles that confirm their existing beliefs. This phenomenon, known as confirmation bias, allows individuals to seek out information that aligns with their political inclination, avoiding exposure to opposing viewpoints. The proliferation of media has led to a highly customized news experience, enabling those with specific political leanings to consume content from news outlets that mirror their values, such as Republicans gravitating towards Fox News and Democrats towards MSNBC. With the advent of social media, there is also an ease of access to politicized content, elevating the capacity for unchecked political information to spread rapidly, and often with a partisan slant.

Answer 2

The use of news aggregators does not necessarily help people avoid partisan slant, as individuals often select sources that reinforce their existing beliefs, leading to echo chambers and bias by selection of sources.

Step-by-step explanation:

The use of news aggregators is often thought to help people avoid partisan slant and bias when selecting news. However, this may not always be the case. With the advent of new media platforms, individuals have the ability to customize their news experience, often leading to a phenomenon known as echo chambers, where people primarily access information that aligns with their existing beliefs. For example, Republicans may gravitate towards Fox News, while Democrats may prefer MSNBC. This self-selection can result in a bias by selection of sources, which means they may only be exposed to viewpoints that reaffirm their pre-existing opinions, rather than a balanced perspective.

Bias can also occur through bias by story selection, where media outlets may choose to report on stories that align with their perceived agenda while ignoring opposing views. This creates a filtered news experience rather than providing a comprehensive view of all sides of an issue. Therefore, while news aggregators can provide a diverse range of news sources, they do not automatically prevent biased selection or consumption of news.