I’m going to try this again, because I originally posted this as a comment in “stop propaganda”, but later realized that was a push to ban speech, which I categorically oppose.
Our tort laws should be developed to impose product liability on false media speech that constitutes propaganda or recklessly false news reports. Propaganda is a product, it has been, and is, sold by media platforms to many billions of people, every day. There is a clear profit motive to do so.
But, what if the propaganda causes mental illness and other damages? What if the product the media is selling is unsafe?
Many Americans are currently suffering - they are now afraid, upset and experiencing extreme mental stress and, in some cases, mental breakdowns due to President Trump’s 2024 win, because they have been misinformed about who President Trump is and what he will do as President (and I’m being very kind here, the truth is that many Americans think a nazi will be installed in the White House). That mental illness and suffering this propaganda has caused is very clear.
As a matter of nationwide mental healthcare, American unity, truth and a return to reality, this needs to be seriously addressed as the mental health crisis it is. The fake news, pundits and politicians perpetrating propaganda have done so to drive the public into frenzy, and for too many Americans, they have been successful. The fear and hatred fostered by propaganda has broken relationships, families, friends and fostered hatred between Americans. People are right now protesting democracy itself, partly due to false and fraudulent information they’ve been subjected to for years about President Trump and/or GOP/conservatives. Attention to the mental health issues this has caused, and some attempts to treat and/or cure the damage would do a lot to improve America and the lives of Americans IMO.
But, how do we stop such irresponsible conduct?
Imposing potential liability for the mental illness and other damages caused by propaganda will stop it. Just like manufacturers of unsafe physical products were often forced to make their products safer by the imposition of liability for the damages they caused, so should the manufacturers of propaganda and recklessly false news reports.
This is not to suggest that all are guilty, but if a media platform knowingly or recklessly publishes a false story or fraudulent report (or engages in years of false propaganda) that results in mental illness and/or other damages to its users/viewers or others, they should face a court case to determine whether they should be held responsible for the damage they caused, just like other manufacturers/merchants of most other products. Soon, risk managers at those media platforms will make sure that stories are verified and content is not reckless, false and/or injurious.
For those opposing anything that curtails free speech, I agree. However, I would ask you to consider defamatory statements. Defamatory statements are free speech - they cannot be regulated or suppressed by the government. However, people who make defamatory statements are liable for the damages their false statements cause - same idea here.
Imposing product liability for propaganda will work better than trying to police and ban free speech, which we all should oppose. Liability for defective and unsafe products, for producers and sellers who place those products into the market, will make those producers and sellers much more responsible for their products. This will cause media platforms and content providers to self police themselves in order to avoid being liable for the damages that the propaganda they sell causes. For example, we would get far more responsible, investigative reporting if news media were held liable for damages their false and irresponsible reports cased (riots, property damage, mental illness, physical injuries , etc.).
Defamation claims, for the most part, keep publishers ‘honest’ when they talk about people and companies. For public figures, most states require a showing of actual malice to sustain a defamation claim. But the damages awarded are only awarded to the defamed claimant, they do not address other damages to the viewers and the public or third persons caused by that defamation. Imposing product liability on false content like propaganda and reckless reporting can address the other damages caused by it, and quickly make content providers and platforms more responsible for the products they produce and sell.
I have placed this policy suggestion under Health because I believe it is primarily a health/mental illness issue, particularly from what I am seeing on social media platforms after the 2024 election.
RS