Media Manipulation and Bias Detection
Auto-Improving with AI and User Feedback
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Media Manipulation and Bias Detection
Auto-Improving with AI and User Feedback
HonestyMeter - AI powered bias detection
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Bystander (described as hero)
Caution! Due to inherent human biases, it may seem that reports on articles aligning with our views are crafted by opponents. Conversely, reports about articles that contradict our beliefs might seem to be authored by allies. However, such perceptions are likely to be incorrect. These impressions can be caused by the fact that in both scenarios, articles are subjected to critical evaluation. This report is the product of an AI model that is significantly less biased than human analyses and has been explicitly instructed to strictly maintain 100% neutrality.
Nevertheless, HonestyMeter is in the experimental stage and is continuously improving through user feedback. If the report seems inaccurate, we encourage you to submit feedback , helping us enhance the accuracy and reliability of HonestyMeter and contributing to media transparency.
Use of dramatic or emotionally charged language to provoke strong reactions rather than inform.
Headline: "Hero bystander tackles gunman in incredible footage". The words "Hero" and "incredible" are emotionally loaded and designed to excite or inspire rather than neutrally describe events. The body text is relatively neutral, but the headline sets a sensational frame for the entire piece.
Change the headline to a more neutral description, e.g., "Bystander tackles gunman in captured footage".
Avoid subjective adjectives like "hero" and "incredible" in the headline unless clearly attributed to a source (e.g., "Police call bystander a hero after tackling gunman").
Ensure the headline reflects the limited information actually provided in the article.
Headline creates a stronger or more definitive impression than the article content supports.
The headline strongly frames the bystander as a "hero" and the footage as "incredible", but the article provides only a brief description of the physical actions and no information about outcomes, motives, casualties, or official assessments. The hero label is not supported or attributed in the text.
Align the headline with the factual content: describe what is seen (a bystander disarming a gunman) without evaluative labels.
If the term "hero" is used, attribute it: "Witnesses describe bystander as hero after tackling gunman" and then include those witness quotes in the article.
Expand the article to provide context (what happened before and after, official statements) so the headline is supported by evidence.
Use of value-laden terms that implicitly judge people or events.
The term "Hero bystander" in the title is a clear value judgment. The body text is mostly descriptive, but the framing term "hero" assigns moral evaluation without evidence or attribution.
Replace "Hero bystander" with a neutral descriptor such as "Bystander" or "Member of the public".
If the article intends to argue that the bystander acted heroically, explicitly present evidence and perspectives (e.g., quotes from authorities, witnesses) and attribute the characterization to them.
Maintain neutral language in headlines and leads, reserving evaluative terms for clearly marked opinion pieces.
Leaving out important context that is necessary to fully understand the event.
The article describes only a short sequence of physical actions: the bystander tackling the gunman, disarming him, and another man chasing the gunman. It omits: - Where and when this occurred - Whether anyone was injured or killed - The motives or identity of the shooters - The legal or safety outcomes (arrests, charges, ongoing danger) - Any official or eyewitness accounts - Any verification of the footage The closing line "More to come." underscores that the piece is incomplete but it is still presented as a standalone article.
Add basic factual context: location, time, nature of the incident, number of casualties or injuries, and current status of the investigation.
Include information about the bystander and shooters where available and relevant (while respecting privacy and legal constraints).
Clarify the source and verification status of the footage (e.g., police-confirmed, social media video under review).
If the article is intentionally a brief update, label it clearly as a developing story and avoid strong evaluative framing until more facts are known.
Presenting one perspective or aspect of an event while neglecting others.
The narrative focuses almost entirely on the bystander's actions and briefly on another man chasing the gunman. There is no perspective from: - Law enforcement or emergency services - Witnesses or victims - The broader community impact - Any legal or safety experts The shooters are only described as targets of the bystander's actions, with no factual context. This creates a one-dimensional, hero-centric narrative.
Include statements from police or officials about the incident and the bystander's actions.
Add witness accounts that describe what happened before and after the filmed moment.
Provide any available information about the shooters and the broader incident, not just the disarming moment.
Balance the focus on the bystander with information about the consequences and context of the event.
Using emotionally charged framing to influence readers' feelings rather than presenting neutral facts.
The combination of the headline "Hero bystander" and "incredible footage" is designed to evoke admiration and excitement. The vivid description of the physical struggle ("he pounces, wrapping his arms around the gunman") also heightens drama without providing proportional factual context.
Describe the actions in straightforward, less dramatized terms (e.g., "The bystander approaches the gunman from behind and attempts to disarm him.").
Avoid cinematic verbs like "pounces" unless clearly quoting a source, and then attribute the quote.
Balance vivid description with concrete information about outcomes, safety, and verification so readers are informed, not just emotionally engaged.
Reducing a complex, dangerous incident to a single dramatic moment.
The article presents the event almost entirely as a single heroic act captured on video, with no mention of the complexity of active-shooter situations, risks to bystanders, or recommended safety protocols. This can create an impression that such interventions are straightforward and unproblematic.
Include brief context about the broader incident and the risks involved in confronting an armed person.
Add expert or official guidance on what members of the public are advised to do in such situations.
Clarify that the footage shows only one moment and does not represent the full scope of the incident or its consequences.
- This is an EXPERIMENTAL DEMO version that is not intended to be used for any other purpose than to showcase the technology's potential. We are in the process of developing more sophisticated algorithms to significantly enhance the reliability and consistency of evaluations. Nevertheless, even in its current state, HonestyMeter frequently offers valuable insights that are challenging for humans to detect.