Daily Source Bias Check: World Socialist Web Site (WSWS)

These media sources are moderately to strongly biased toward liberal causes through story selection and/or political affiliation.  They may utilize strong loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes), publish misleading reports and omit reporting of information that may damage liberal causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Left Bias sources.

• Overall, we rate the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) strongly Left Biased based on promotion of anti-capitalist, socialist view points. We also rate them Mostly Factual in reporting rather than High due to the use of some sources that promote conspiracy theories.

Detailed Report

Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL
Country: USA
World Press Freedom Rank: USA 48/180

History

Founded in 1998, The World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) is a widely accessed international socialist news site that is the online news and information center of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI). The site is closely associated with the Trotskyist Socialist Equality Party. According to their about page “The standpoint of this web site is one of revolutionary opposition to the capitalist market system. Its aim is the establishment of world socialism.” The World Socialist Web Site publishes articles and analysis of news and events all around the world updated on a daily basis.

Funded by / Ownership

The World Socialist Web Site is owned by The International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), which is the name of two Trotskyist internationals; one with sections named Socialist Equality Party which publishes the World Socialist Web Site, and another linked to the Workers Revolutionary Party in the UK. The WSWS website is funded through donations.

Analysis / Bias

In review, WSWS reports news from a Trotskyist Socialist perspective, highlighting income inequality, promotion of free speech and equal civil rights for all. Headlines and articles sometimes contain moderately loaded wording such as this: The epidemic of nurse suicides and the US healthcare crisis. This article cites stats from the Pro-Science CDC. The website also reports on global police abuses such as this: Another police-state raid in Australia to protect spy agencies. 

When reporting on politics, WSWS does not have a favorable view of the American Right or President Trump, furthermore they also reject the Democratic party as being a party of the right: The Democratic debate: A right-wing party unmasked. Finally, WSWS frequently reports favorably on Wikileaks and Julian Assange, which we have rated as Mixed for factual reporting due to “promotion of the Seth Rich-DNC Conspiracy Theory, as well as connections to the Russian Government and frequent use of anonymous sources.”

The World Socialist Web Site also reports on science and generally holds pro-Science consensus view points, while reporting more negatively on religion.

The American right-wing press has referenced the World Socialist Web Site as an example of left-wing extremism (The Las Vegas Review-Journal, 29 March 2006). While some have accused them of being a source of Russian disinformation. 

A factual search reveals they have not failed a fact check.

Overall, we rate the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) strongly Left Biased based on promotion of anti-capitalist, socialist view points. We also rate them Mostly Factual in reporting rather than High due to the use of some sources that promote conspiracy theories. (D. Van Zandt 5/5/2017) Updated (9/8/2019)

Notes: https://www.wsws.org