CBS: Internet 'Very Unfriendly' Due to Politics; Omits Liberals More Unfriendly
By Matthew Balan | March 14, 2012 | 17:20
CBS This Morning on Tuesday highlighted a recent Pew Research poll that "says politics is now making the Internet very unfriendly....nine percent of social networking users say they've un-friend...or blocked someone whose politics they disagree with." But the morning show failed to mention that the poll explained that "liberals are the most likely...to block, unfriend, or hide."
During her news brief, anchor Erica Hill noted how the left-leaning Daily Beast website reported on the blocking phenomenon. After citing the nine percent figure, Hill added, "Can't we just have a discussion anymore?" It is the left, however, that seems less likely to have that discussion, as the Monday poll found. Researchers Lee Rainie and Aaron Smith noted that "28% of liberals have blocked, unfriended, or hidden someone on SNS [social networking sites]...compared with 16% of conservatives and 14% of moderates."
A graph included with their findings outlined that 16% of liberals had "blocked, unfriended, or hidden someone...because they posted something [they] disagreed with." This is twice the 8% figure for conservatives. The bar graph also revealed that 11% of liberals "blocked, unfriended, or hidden someone...because they disagreed with something [they] posted," compared to just 4% for conservatives.
This is the second time in two days that CBS has buried a poll finding that didn't jive with their liberal leanings. The network omitted mentioning on its Monday and Tuesday morning and evening newscasts how their most recent poll with the New York Times found that 57% of Americans are against the controversial ObamaCare birth control/abortifacient mandate. This came just under a month after they trumpeted an earlier poll result finding that 61% of Catholics apparently backed the federal regulation.
The transcript of Erica Hill's news brief from Tuesday's CBS This Morning, which aired 14 minutes into the 8 am Eastern hour:
ERICA HILL (voice-over): 'The Daily Beast' website says politics is now making the Internet very unfriendly. According to a new poll, nine percent of social networking users say they've un-friend- or de-friended, depending on how you like to say it- or blocked someone whose politics they disagree with. Can't we just have a discussion anymore?
Comments
#1 THIS MUST BE GREAT FOR EXTREMISTS
Submitted by squirefld on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 6:32pm.
Instead of liberal, progressive, socialist or communists having to close their eyes, stick their fingers in their ears, stick out their tongue and shake their heads they can just click a mouse.
#2 I've had a similar experience
Submitted by dzejk113 on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 7:36pm.
I got into a discussion on Facebook about the OWS movement and "tax the rich" meme a few months ago with a liberal friend of mine, and a couple of his liberal friends that joined in. Near the end a mutual conservative friend of ours came to back me up. I did my best to be polite and reasonable with them, and used facts to argue my point. Needless to say it wasn't long before he descended into a vicious, irrational, almost personal attack on the Tea Party and Republicans, and when I called him out on it and ripped the "moral highground" out from under his feet, all the fight left him and the discussion was over. However, a few days later I went back to look over the discussion again, and all the comments had been deleted. I'm a little surprised he hasn't un-friended me on facebook yet haha.
#3 ~I don't friend anyone who isn't vetted
Submitted by Wrathful Brunette on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 7:44pm.
But I've been blocked by the liberal friends of my conservative friends more times than I can count. :-D
My favorite thing is being brought in by female friends as a 'ringer', so people they don't *personally* want to offend can still get spanked.
#4 You vett people first?
Submitted by Radical1979 on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 8:07pm.
And I made the cut?! Wow. You da bomb.
My daughter's right, I really can't get away with talking like that. You're the best Bru.
#5 ~LOL!
Submitted by Wrathful Brunette on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 8:20pm.
My NB buddies are the whole reason I got an account in the first place, and I've kept the 'no liberals' rule since then. It's just too easy to offend people you don't actually *want* to offend.
That one lady talk to you again, yet? :-p
#6 Yes, but not about politics!
Submitted by Radical1979 on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 8:21pm.
You schooled her but good.
#7 ...so people they don't
Submitted by Dave. on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 8:15pm.
...so people they don't *personally* want to offend can still get spanked.
The line forms here. :-^)
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
#8 ~Naughty Dave!
Submitted by Wrathful Brunette on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 8:23pm.
Bad boy!
;-)
#9 Good evening Bru
Submitted by cocodrie on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 8:33pm.
We all need to unwind and relax from all this tension. Another trip down mammary lane like we all took sometime back might help.
Jesus Loves You so much He died for you
#10 Ahh, My Conservative Friends
Submitted by Vandamage2000 on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 8:17pm.
Everyone has been incredibly kind to me, a liberal, on this site.
#11 Once again van misses the point...
Submitted by Radical1979 on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 8:25pm.
Liberals can't handle the truth. Conservatives don't hide postings, we allow dreck like you to post even though your postings are full of lies.
#12 So gracious of you!
Submitted by Vandamage2000 on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 9:05pm.
Do you even have authority to ban/block postings from some people on this site? If so, please let me know.
#13 So Silly
Submitted by Blonde on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 12:38am.
Wouldn't YOU like to know?
Why should you know? So you know how hard to push your liberalism? Or your LGBT agenda?
Silly porn star.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
#14 Count your lucky stars, porn star
Submitted by Blonde on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 12:34am.
We don't take kindly to Soros infiltrators.
We've made an exception for you, however....since you're so green and such a naif. However, once the election season cranks up, you best gird your loins.....or whatever it is that you have.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
#15 Loins, Blonde? More like the backless set of chaps.
Submitted by UpNorth on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 1:15am.
Kinda drafty back there, VD?
#16 By first hand experience I
Submitted by mattm on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 9:17pm.
By first hand experience I know that liberals are offended by anyone who disagrees with them, and the very few who are actually willing to listen to opposing views and actually re-think their own viewpoint do not stay liberal for long.
#17 It's Bizarro World at CBS
Submitted by CobraMan on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 12:37pm.
So, even though they have their own stats showing us that, even amongst liberals, more than 70 percent of people DON'T block others, the "internet" is an "very unfriendly" place? With a 70 percent plus "acceptance" rate at the various social networking sites, I would describe the "internet" as "very friendly."
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