Public opinion on many issues is shaped by the media. Yet while there is growing concern that the media is not always neutral in its reporting, the impact of media bias is not always well understood. One understudied aspect of media bias is how the press portrays technology. This portrayal has important implications for public policy, because coverage that is slanted in one direction or another can drive public opinion—and thus policymakers—to favor unnecessary, unwarranted, or unwise policy interventions. For example, policymakers regularly cite surveys of consumer attitudes about privacy as part of their rationale for new laws and regulations for digital services. But these views are likely distorted by media coverage.
