The Misinformation Age: How False Beliefs Spread

by Cailin O'Connor

Some readers may consider this a form of censorship and counter to the spirit of free speech.72 But the goal here is not to limit speech. It is to prevent speech from illegitimately posing as something it is not, and to prevent damaging propaganda from getting amplified on social media sites. If principles of free speech are compatible with laws against defamatory lies about individuals, surely they are also compatible with regulating damaging lies dressed up as reported fact on matters of public consequence. Lying media should be clearly labeled as such, for the same reason that we provide the number of calories on a package of Doritos or point out health effects on a cigarette box. And social media sites should remain vigilant about stopping the spread of fake news on their platforms or, at the very least, try to ensure that this “news” is clearly labeled as such.