No, they aren't "certainly" hit pieces, nor are they fake news.
If you don't like to read the articles, skip them. Or stay on your Facebook page where everything is curated according to your delicate sensibilities. You have no right to deprive others.
I'm away on Christmas vacation, but my home IP has been banned. Never been clear why, except that I have expressed some views about banking, Tesla and some well-known posters who like to bully people that aren't part of the Hackernews hivemind.
I enjoy the site as a news aggregator, but this place is an echo chamber.
Many of these people are the same ones who believe Tesla can build profitable $35,000 cars because the CEO said so, despite evidence of billions in losses (and subsidies).
If you don't like to read the articles, skip them. Or stay on your Facebook page where everything is curated according to your delicate sensibilities. You have no right to deprive others.