> will simply lie, as with a biased human opinion

Is this really how bias works?

michaelt 2 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Writers have many options to deceive their audience without outright lying.

If a journalist is given an all-expenses-paid trip to an exotic location for the launch of a new product, and they review the product and say it's great - are they lying?

If a reviewer writes an article comparing certain types of product, but their review only includes products where affiliate links pay a 10% commission - are they lying?

If a journalist is vaguely aware of rumours about newsworthy, under-reported Event X but also that their publication has a big sponsorship deal with folks that Event X makes look bad, and they don't investigate the rumours or report on them - are they lying?

If a reviewer hears a claim from X, and they report the claim credulously, without adding the context that X has a history making false claims - are they lying?

▲

inetknght 6 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Oh no. Definitely not. Humans would never just lie. They always lie only if they're biased. That is, after all, the definition of how a bias works.

	▲	naruhodo 6 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I'm using bias to mean hidden motivations to the benefit of other parties. Feel free to substitute a better word. EDIT: actually I'm really not sure what hairs we're trying to split here. I see bias as a departure from objectivity. It can be conscious or unconscious, but when someone is selling something, it's frequently conscious and self-serving, and I believe that's referred to as a lie.