Media Bias within Information Disorder: Bridging Two Research Communities through a Systematic Review

Francisco-Javier Rodrigo-Ginés, Jorge Chamorro-Padial


Abstract
Information disorder research overwhelmingly focuses on fabricated or manipulated content (fake news, deepfakes, propaganda) while comparatively neglecting the most pervasive form of distorted information: media bias. Unlike outright falsehoods, media bias operates within the boundaries of factual reporting, distorting public understanding through framing, omission, and word choice rather than fabrication. This makes it harder to detect, harder to regulate, and paradoxically more influential, since it originates from trusted mainstream sources rather than marginal actors. In this position paper, we argue that media bias should be recognized as a first-class category within information disorder frameworks. Drawing on the Wardle and Derakhshan (2017) taxonomy, communication theory, and a systematic review of over 100 studies on automated media bias detection, we demonstrate that current frameworks inadequately account for the systematic distortion of true content. We present a consolidated taxonomy of media bias types organized by linguistic level, compare detection paradigms across the information disorder and media bias communities, and identify four properties that make media bias uniquely dangerous: its scale, its source credibility, the invisibility of omission, and its cumulative normative effect. We conclude with an integrated research agenda grounded in specific gaps identified through the review.
Anthology ID:
2026.indor-1.5
Volume:
Proceedings of the 1st Workshop on Information Disorder (InDor) @ LREC 2026
Month:
May
Year:
2026
Address:
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Editors:
Simona Frenda, Marco Antonio Stranisci, Shaina Ashraf, Ada Ren, Ioannis Konstas, Usman Naseem
Venues:
InDor | WS
SIG:
Publisher:
ELRA Language Resources Association (ELRA)
Note:
Pages:
45–54
Language:
External URL:
https://lrec.elra.info/lrec2026-ws-indor-05
DOI:
10.63317/2nfxrgw3v7pd
Bibkey:
Cite (ACL):
Francisco-Javier Rodrigo-Ginés and Jorge Chamorro-Padial. 2026. Media Bias within Information Disorder: Bridging Two Research Communities through a Systematic Review. In Proceedings of the 1st Workshop on Information Disorder (InDor) @ LREC 2026, pages 45–54, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. ELRA Language Resources Association (ELRA).
Cite (Informal):
Media Bias within Information Disorder: Bridging Two Research Communities through a Systematic Review (Rodrigo-Ginés & Chamorro-Padial, InDor 2026)
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