A recent encounter in an elevator highlighted a growing trend: a young woman revealed she gets her news from TikTok. This anecdote underscores a broader issue with news consumption in the digital age.
The Minimum Wage Debate and Ignorance Bubbles
Economist Thomas Sowell once noted that despite consensus among economists that minimum wage laws cause more harm than good, the public remains largely unaware of the arguments against them. A 1987 New York Times editorial titled "The Right Minimum Wage: $0.00" outlined the downsides, including increased unemployment and a larger underground economy. Yet, the Times later reversed its stance, but the economic principles remain unchanged.
Sowell attributed this ignorance to people getting their information from TV news, which often glosses over the negative effects of minimum wage. Today, the problem is amplified by news aggregators.
The Rise of News Aggregators
Platforms like Microsoft, Apple, Google, Yahoo, TikTok, and YouTube now serve as primary news sources. They curate content based on user preferences, prioritizing stories that reinforce existing beliefs to keep users engaged. This creates echo chambers where users are seldom exposed to opposing viewpoints.
AllSides, a company that measures media bias, found in late 2025 that Google News curated 73% of articles from left-leaning outlets and only 1% from right-leaning ones. Apple News showed a similar pattern, with 50% from the left and 2% from the right. Most aggregators draw from legacy media like CNN, AP, and The New York Times, which are rated as left-leaning.
The Consequences of Filter Bubbles
Consider the narrative that "the rich don't pay their fair share." In reality, the top 10% of earners pay nearly 75% of all federal income taxes, and the top 1% pay over 40% while earning 20% of the nation's income. These facts challenge the narrative, but aggregators rarely present such counterpoints.
As a result, large numbers of Americans remain unaware of basic economic facts. If news aggregators continue to prioritize confirmation over education, this ignorance will persist.
Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host.
