I’d love to see greater safeguards against “public figures”* spreading “bad”* information knowingly.
If info is demontrably and proveably false, it should be punished. (eg: fake corona virus cures, Obama was born in Kenya, etc etc)
It’s the American Conservative’s God-Given right to believe whatever lies Mark Levin is telling this week without having to hear facts that contradict it!
You never answered the question. Why should said “czar” be paid by We the People?
The Trump administration took children from asylum applicants and didn’t bother to keep track of which parents they went to. It’s not hyperbole.
No child was stolen.
You shuold take a look at the Singapore model for both the strengths and weaknesses of what you are talking about.
With specific reference to the TT Durai saga (he successfully intimidated 2 people into withdrawing corruption claims before taking on the “wrong” person and being brought down)
And if you want to go further back - take a look at David Lange (if memory serves) and North and South Magazine (a politician won a case against the media) in New Zealand.
We have freedom of speech here in NZ, and truth is always an absolute defence - but I am constantly left shaking my head at the sheer volume of bad faith “news” and falsehoods that are presented in the US
If there wasn’t so much “bad”* information floating around the US without consequences, would Donald really have come to power?
“Bad” information is anathema to a well functioning democracy
Because it’s in the government’s interest to help the people too weak, gullible, or stupid to understand that they’re being manipulated by RW media.
They can simply point out factual evidence. Rush says that Coronavirus is a hoax, present evidence it’s not.
Not how it works. I don’t have to provide evidence, since I didn’t make the claim.
And why should I care what Rush says?
Thought experiment: You go to the DMV. I take your daughter and deport you, and make no effort to reunite you with your daughter.
Have I stolen your daughter?
Are you here illegally? Then that’s on you.
Let’s say you jaywalked on your way to the DMV. You are illegal. That’s on you.
Can you take a moment to make sure you’re communicating clearly? You’re mixing up the pronouns on the hypothetical, and your previous message doesn’t appear to understand what I wrote either.
Also, seeking asylum is legal.
…the thing is appointing a Czar for the sole purpose of “correcting lies” sounds hugely problematic to me. Do we call it the “Ministry of Truth?”
The problem is much bigger than Fox News, OAN and Newsmax. It goes beyond that. The lies need to be called out be the administration obviously. But I’ve listened to both the Democrats and the Republicans try to hold the social media giants to account and it seems pretty clear that neither side really understands how any of this really works. There isn’t an easy solution. But you’ve got to understand the problem before you can start to deal with it. If people are locked into information silos then having alternative facts presented by a government spokesperson will only ever have limited marginal value.
I don’t have a solution. And I think about this a lot. But as gdave argues the answer isn’t to institutionalize the position.
I answered the question-Sorry if you didn’t like it.
Alternatively, a Trumpist could equally well say, "Because it’s in the government’s interest to help the people too weak, gullible, or stupid to understand that they’re being manipulated by LW media.
They can simply point out factual evidence. CNN says Democratic vote stealing is a hoax, present evidence it’s not."
Do you really not see the problem here?
The problem is there isn’t actually any evidence that any RW talking point is true.
Global warming is a hoax! No evidence.
Election stolen! No evidence.
Tax Cuts are freeeeeeeee! No evidence.
I’m just saying that if some bullshit Jade Helm conspiracy is out there, it would be good if there was a czar to point out, “No stupid, this is a normal thing, here are the last 35 times it was done, Sean Hannity is a fucking kook.”
Well, that, and the fact that slander and libel are civil, rather than criminal, torts.
Also, the “Ministry of Truth” hazard that was brought up, above. The America-hating Fuckstick himself is on record as proposing laws not far removed from the idea in the OP. It’s troubling to see a super-charged version of his crap coming from the ranks of the Good Guys.
you know theres a web site called “gossip cop” that exists solely to explain that 90 percent of what the check out rags and several websites are reporting as news is fictional crap …i think he’s asking for a WH approved version
here’s the example
I was thinking “Secretary of Reality”.
See also: the conspiracy theory surrounding the parking entrance cam footage of American Airlines Flight 77.