"Fake News": The Emergence of a Post-Fact World

[David Horn]

(01-17-2017, 12:51 PM)SomeGuy Wrote:

David Horn Wrote:I prefer an unfettered and independent press. I'm concerned that the tin-foil-hat crowd has far too much to say and far too many opportunities to say it, but the real problem lies with the basic knowledge base of the average citizen. It's easy to lie to people who have no concept of the truth.

That's what unfettered and independent looks like.  That's not what you are asking for.

When lies, not errors mind you, get the same press protection afforded to all other material, then we've crossed a line. I remember Carol Burnette suing the National Enquirer for slander. As a public figure, she was fair game, but she won anyway. Some press actions are beyond the pale.

SomeGuy Wrote:As for the average knowledge base, at the end of the day, dude, lots of people are dumb and/or not interested in things outside of their immediate circumstances.  That's just life.  There is plenty of knowledge out there for people who want to acquire it.

We send students through 12 years of primary and secondary education. At the end of that process, they should have been expected to acquire a working knowledge of the world they inhabit. That's not really true anymore. It was when I went to school, so I understand the difference. That's not the same as expecting in-depth knowledge of or even an interest in the subject matter.

SomeGuy Wrote:Honestly, teaching people to check sources, look at competing points of view, and recognize cant when they hear it is a lot better than some grand high poobah of journalism, "totally disinterested in anything other than the public interest", selectively spoonfeeding them the opinions and facts that they think they should have.

There is no need for a press overlord, or any other version of censorship, if the press is merely held to the standards of our slander laws. Lying with the intent to do harm is a form of assault. Causing harm by lying with no regard to the truth is a form of gross negligence. A lot of the alt-right press, and, as you noted, some of the MSM need a bit of slapping. Whether they get it depends on whether we still value truth as a public good or just a nice thing to have around.