ATS is lacking political balance

There have been plenty of "bring back the old ATS" threads in the past. I've been a part of that rally cry myself. But this thread isn't meant to be that. Instead, it's meant to demonstrate how far the pendulum has swung to the right in political topics here on ATS. It's no coincidence to me that because all the mainstream media and not-so-mainstream media broadcast is non-stop politics, then people who praise the airwaves will regurgitate that information for their own conversation wherever they roam. Because the site has been overrun with political conversation, and because the sites content is based on user generated content, then it's fair to say on that popularity of whatever people are posting is going to generate the most discussion and reaction. Of course, political discourse is nothing new; it's probably about the most consistent conversational topic in the history of mankind next to religion. The problem here is...balance...or, the lack-thereof.

Wikipedia is certainly not the most reliable source of information. But a quick wiki search for ATS provides the following context:

as of late 2017 Trump supporters have overtaken the forum, having driven off the majority of progressive members. The staff/moderation team exhibits and posts with a clear alt-right and conservative bias, leading to a slow purge of Democrats and left-leaning members over the past several years. One staff member has even (on occasion) used a Confederate battle flag,[4] in a clear attempt to advertise their political beliefs.

Wiki Source

I don't use this as a way to source my claim...but someone else felt strongly enough about ATS's political placemat to post it to an open source platform and in all fairness, I don't think that claim can be argued against.

Now, I can confirm some of these things. The site is clearly right leaning now. There are only a few brave liberals left who stand up for their views left here. I'd assume that most of them got sick of the constant right leaning rhetoric. Most political content gets posted in the mudpit where it seems the gloves come off and any chance for an intelligent conversation is gone. I know the moderators do their best but it seems like they can't keep up with the postings. And the users who rely on the mudpit to constantly post their content are using it as a place to release their internal rage on whatever topic has them stirred up. The owners are pretty much long gone. The only time we see them pop up is when there is a profit to be made, a documentary to pitch, or a book to be sold. It would be nice for them to reengage to try and help balance the conversation a little but it's not happening.

Another thing to consider is the overall state of political ideology in America and how it translates here. Everyone is either far left or alt right. Except they're not. Most people fall in the middle but the fringe is the most vocal. It's fair to assume that those fringe vocalists have found various places on the internet to dig into to spread their beliefs as best as they can. Reddit, for example, is heavily populated by vocal leftists spreading a progressive ideology. With Reddit, however, you could choose to ignore certain subreddits and only see content which you choose to see. You can't really do that here as effectively.

But that's part of the problem...we shouldn't be ignoring opposing viewpoints. Instead we should be embracing them in intelligent dialogue. Most importantly...we must be willing to accept the fact that sometimes our individual views are wrong, or can be viewed a little differently when discussed with factual content. By now we have to assume that most of the American media infrastructure is infected with Russian bots and partisan politics. I'm almost certain this site has had some Russian bots disseminating information but I wouldn't know how to prove it. And with that, we should be able to recognize that very, very few news outlets and news sources can be trusted with truthful, unbiased content. Yet, most conversation on here relies on ideological propaganda to back them up.

In doing so, it's become a one-sided conversation around here (for the most part). We're supposed to "Deny Ignorance". We're supposed to be the ones calling B.S. on corrupt politicians and fraudulent media. Instead ATS has become an echo chamber for one political ideology. Here's another website which shares that same sentiment:

Factual Reporting: LOW

Notes: Above Top Secret is a right wing bias conspiracy site. It has all the themes you would expect. Mostly though, Above Top Secret, does not like liberal politics and demonstrates a strong right wing bias in reporting and wording. (D. Van Zandt 1/13/2017)

Source

Now, onto my soapbox for a brief moment. In most subjects where opinion is heavy on both sides, the truth or solution typically lies in the middle. That's part of what makes American politics actually work. For as much political trash each side throws at each other, we typically get a result somewhere in the middle. It may sway one way or another from time to time, but the middle ground is where it ends up. When I look around all the places I've lived and visited, I don't see the U.S.A. that the media wants me to see. I see one of the safest places to live, in one of the best economies the world has ever seen where 1st world problems are often times as simple as a dead cell phone battery. The chaos and confusion comes from the news, social media, and online forums where people talk about problems that don't really exist to the level with which they think it does. People online don't have to deal with face-to-face confrontation and don't have to deal with the direct consequence of not owning up to a mistake or being wrong. And that, to me, is where the problem with online communication lies. Why try to have a conversation with someone who refuses to open their mind to alternative viewpoints or factual information?

ATS is by and large Pro-Trump. And more and more the headlines on threads are what I'd expect to see on Conservative Treehouse or FoxNews. Copy and paste while adding flowing thoughts is much of what we see here. There's nothing wrong with being Pro-Trump...but the conversation here is no longer conducive to productive dialogue...and it hasn't been that way for some time. Now, I'm certain this thread is going to get bombarded with disapproval and maybe even a little outrage. That's fine. I didn't write it for stars and flags. I wrote to try and get some of the regular contributors to open their minds to differing opinions, stop using biased news sources and dig into the information to see if it checks out factually before you post an emotionally based response to it. Those who represent a differing opinion of yours aren't the enemy...they are a valuable resource to finding a solution that works for everyone.

Ok...if you made it this far, you deserve a medal and a beer!

a reply to: Assassin82

How are you going to get balance in anything when a membership prerequisite is being unbalanced.

Wiki is irrelevant.

I think another way to think about it is the "Stretching" of the political spectrum. As the bulk(vocally) of the left moves further left, it pulls the scale with it. Moving centrist right people into more conservative territory as well as skewing centrists and even center left to a more centrist position.

Plus, I mean people around here prefer to deal in facts and skepticism. So it's not surprising most will rail against the status quo.

ATS didn’t move right, the left just went so far left that everything looks right to them.

If leftist members are leaving it’s because there ideas are hard to defend with a intelligent member base openly discussing them.

With the imbalance of the MSM, you would think the opposite would manifest 😎

a reply to: Assassin82

Well, above all, I think it is disheartening that so many people buy into the bipartisan political tribalism here anyways.

Both parties have done more than enough to prove to us that our interests aren't what feed their agendas, but rather their donors... Who more times than not are the same for both sides.

That said, I see people using hyperbole, deflection, or parroted party lines rather than actually debate issues.

What we're left with is typically threads that you have to get to page 4 before the issue is truly dissected.

Just a few years ago, you didn't have to go past page 2 much of the time before you saw views, and true debunking with sources from all angles.

Now, it's just dribble and "gotchya" moments, with the occasional high five from people who agree (tribally, not on an issue).

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: Assassin82

How are you going to get balance in anything when a membership prerequisite is being unbalanced.

I prefer the term "unhinged"

ATS is a collection of random people across the internet. Lefties and righties are equally welcome, if there happens to be more right, thats not the sites fault.

I dont think the site takes any particular stance either way, and the moderators seems pretty diverse, theres a few vocal ones that post on politics, but most seem to abstain from it.

Population wise in the US i think the left is loosing ground. More and more people are getting fed up with the federal gov, the corruption, the BS. Trump was viewed as an outsider to all that, and gained a lot of support with those tired of it all.
Wether he's living up to it, well thats up to interpretaion at times i guess.

So somebody decided to edit Wiki to say Trump has taken over ATS, thus the issue with Wikipedia becomes apparent. It wasn't log ago that Ron Paul supporters "dominated" ATS, and after that it was all about Bernie. It certainly felt like THOSE guys dominated ATS for a good long while. Now Trump supporters have "found a voice" and you are upset.

From my standpoint politics has "taken over" ATS to the point that alternative subjects like UFOs have been shoved under the table. But you know what? I know that I am capable of formulating as many UFO threads as I want. And when I do they usually have a pretty good run.

So stop whining and make ATS what you want it to be. But if you want to go down on Hillary in front of the rest of us, expect to take some heat. And if you can't stand that, leave. Nobody owes you your concept of "free and open debate." This is NOT a public forum where anyone has to pay attention to your "free speech rights." It's privately owned, so get over yourself.

The government sucks.

2nd

a reply to: Assassin82

It's true. Left-leaning members have left. That's a shame.

But those who have done so because their were challenged, well you know they probably ran to a place where right-leaning views are met with disdain and hatred. which is the vast majority of the internet.

a reply to: Assassin82

Has ATS swung to the right?
Or has the left just gone off the deep end?

I think what you're seeing is less of an embrace of the right and more of a rejection of tyrannical leftist ideology.

a reply to: schuyler

So stop whining and make ATS what you want it to be. But if you want to go down on Hillary in front of the rest of us, expect to take some heat. And if you can't stand that, leave. Nobody owes you your concept of "free and open debate." This is NOT a public forum her anyone has to pay attention to your "free speech rights." It's privately owned, so get over yourself.

I didn't take OP as whining.

I took at as observations with suggestions.

a reply to: Quantumgamer1776

I have been here awhile. I don't post much because I learned the lesson years back what you say online can haunt your offline, but I'm here about every day. This answer is correct. Moderation is not biased in any way that I've seen thus far, and I've had my hands slapped by the mods once or twice.

Oh, and TheRedneck's avatars have zero bearing on the fairness of his moderating policies. He's been one of those that goes out of his way to separate his red moderator pen from the rest of the drawer.

I claim the "people like you" designation and wear the label proudly, because I certainly don't want to be "people like you"

Wash your Hands!!!

ATS...Fair and Balanced.

a reply to: Assassin82

The problem I have with some recent posts isn't its political leaning, but the way people present it. I kind of get piss off when a thread has the same title than the tabloid article the poster got the info from, copying the said article without really bringing anything new to it, nor getting other sources/claims. Just putting a video, saying: "I found this today". And then, the usual MSM bashing (I mean, we got it, we know mass media are propaganda, it's been a longtime since people know that), same thing can be said about available videos on the net. How many popular youtubers got a check, with a letter saying:" good job, continue to get attention, here's your pay".

originally posted by: Bluntone22
I prefer the term "unhinged"

I was being polite, you know how wackos get when you call them wackos.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: Bluntone22
I prefer the term "unhinged"

I was being polite, you know how wackos get when you call them wackos.

"WOAH DUDE, I'M NOT A ###ING WACKO?!?!?!?!"

Only way you can make that situation worse is telling them to calm down.

Did you edit the wiki page before creating this thread?