American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) – Bias and Credibility

These media sources have a slight to moderate liberal bias.  They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appeals to emotion or stereotypes) to favor liberal causes.  These sources are generally trustworthy for information but may require further investigation. See all Left-Center sources.

• Overall, we rate the ACLU Left-Center biased based on supporting left-leaning positions. We also rate them Mixed for factual reporting due to a few failed fact checks.

Detailed Report

Bias Rating: LEFT-CENTER
Factual Reporting: MIXED
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rank: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Organization/Foundation
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: MEDIUM CREDIBILITY

History

Founded in 1920, The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization  whose stated mission is “to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.” It works through litigation, lobbying, and community empowerment.

Read our profile on the United States government and media.

Funded by / Ownership

The ACLU is a 501(c)4 non-profit corporation. Donations fund the organization.

Analysis / Bias

The ACLU often cites places like the Huffington Post for news articles in their blog and even news sections, but sometimes they will use basic reporting like AP or Reuters. Beyond their news and blog posts, most of the site covers issues that are often considered more liberal causes but most often, it is consistent with their stance on the rights they champion. The ACLU has defended the KKK, Pro-Abortion, and Neo-Nazis ’ right to assemble and protest (1 2 3).  They will often be accused of being left-biased as they do not advocate for gun rights; however, they do not champion gun regulations either.  A quick search for Gun Rights or even Guns will yield no results or results only related to search and seizure cases they have taken on.  They disagree on the individual’s rights to own firearms but do not advocate their beliefs.  They have teamed up with the NRA several times in a sort of odd fellowship (4).

Their Blog & News feeds can often be filled with more left-leaning stances, but they are not biased in their case workload or defending the rights they advocate for. There have been times Justice Scalia, the most outspoken and most conservative justice at the time, had ideas that line up with the ACLU (5). Most modern conservatives may often take issue with much of what the ACLU advocates and litigates in courts. However, the ACLU has defended religious freedoms in the school as well. Including the right to pray in school (6). I would try to advocate that the ACLU is more neutral than the left, but with the major shift in American politics to the right, I can no longer advocate that stance.

Failed Fact Checks

• “When the country was founded, Congress had exactly the same attitude about the sanctity of Christmas celebrations that a 7-Eleven does today: ‘Yeah, we’re open.'” – Pants on Fire
• Voter identification laws make it complicated and expensive to get an ID, essentially instituting a modern-day poll tax. – Mostly False
• “Half the states in the U.S. have laws that criminalize criticism.” – Mostly False

Overall, we rate the ACLU Left-Center biased based on supporting left-leaning positions. We also rate them Mixed for factual reporting due to a few failed fact checks. (M. Allen 2/9/2017) Updated (10/02/2023)

Source: https://www.aclu.org/