Did you know it’s illegal to knowingly broadcast false information about a catastrophe, especially if such communications may cause substantial “public harm?”
Public harm includes direct & actual damages to people or property & the diversion of law enforcement or public health & safety authorities from their duties.
But Elon Musk & X are not regulated by the FCC. So, HOW DO WE STOP THIS?
Make it illegal, just like we did for broadcast TV and radio.
I know that the internet is not subject to the same laws as broadcast radio & TV. But we can create them.
We can use the same criteria that the FCC uses, which will protect people who spread the false information unintentionally. But to just ignore it is to abdicate the need to protect people during this vulnerable time.
Dash, on Mastodon pointed out some of the reasons why Musk is getting away with this. He also understood that it’s a call for a change
@CatDragon@spocko because the internet isn’t subject to the same laws as broadcast tv (so he isn’t breaking the law). And republicans won’t agree to any additional regulations, particularly when they benefit from spreading disinformation themselves.
Also Dash wrote: social media companies aren’t broadcasters though (according to the government). The law won’t apply to them.
I think this post is meant to encourage us to consider lobbying for a change in how internet companies are regulated. And I agree with that initiative.
Make knowingly spreading false information on social media illegal, just like we did for broadcast TV and radio.
I know a lot about FCC law and what is and is not enforced. I also know that the broadcast radio & TV companies spent a lot of time and money to weaken the regulations, but also to protect themselves from fines and possibly losing licenses. For example they implementes 7 second delays, they file appeals for accidents they could not control. They fire people who are repeat offenders.
We might mock the obscenity restrictions on broadcast radio and TV now, but at the time enough people decided it was a problem, and took steps to limit it.
Public harm following people knowingly posting false information has already happened. In a catastrophe “the diversion of law enforcement or public health & safety authorities from their duties.” can lead to “direct & actual damages to people or property.”
We know the social media companies will do & say whatever they can to avoid being held responsible for what is said on their platforms.
Musk will go on about “free speech” but knowingly posting false information in this situation does not contribute to the “marketplace of ideas.” It’s a condemnable act, and it should be made criminal.
NPR just reported that one of two staffers involved in the altercation at Arlington National Cemetery is a deputy campaign manager for Donald Trump’s reelection bid. The two staffers, according to a source with knowledge of the incident, are deputy campaign manager Justin Caporale and Michel Picard, a member of Trump’s advance team.
I thought it was Chris LaCivita or Cory Lewandowski. One of the misogynistic a-holes on Donald Trump’s campaign staff pushed a female employee at Arlington National Cemetery. It’s probably Chris “I’m the a-hole who created Swift Boating” LaCivita, but it might be Cory “I don’t have to be honest with the media” Lewandowski. As of Sept 5th 2024, the DoD and the DOJ aren’t going after them for what happened at Arlington. Why?
Trump at Arlington. L to R Cory Lewandowski, Justin Caporale, Chris LaCivita
The FEC isn’t going after the Trump campaign for their use of campaign footage from Arlington in an ad. Why?
The outlet that broke the story, NPR, KNOWS exactly who did what, but they aren’t revealing that information. Why?
I was on the The Nicole Sandler Show show as RFK Jr.’s brain worm. I was going to add photos of the people and articles that I was referring too, because as bizarre at all these stories sound, I WAS NOT MAKING THEM UP!
I decided to just list the articles below in case anyone wants to know more details.
These are Real Headlines Written by Actual Humans about RFK Jr. in a new segment I’m calling RFK Jr.’s Brain Worm News. (The graphic is from an actual article on brain worms from ABC News, Australia that said, “headlines about brain worms can be alarming.” but adds, “..here are ways you can minimize your risks of being infected with one.” )
R.F.K. Jr. Says Doctors Found a Dead Worm in His Brain The New York TimesRFK Jr says he was behind mystery of dead bear dumped in Central Park with bicycle The GuardianRFK Jr. Once Decapitated A Dead Whale With A Chainsaw BBCMary Richardson Kennedy’s grave was exhumed & moved 700 feet away by her ex-husband RFK Jr., because he wanted her to be buried on a hilltop People Magazine RFK Jr., Tulsi Gabbard named to Trump transition . . . → Read More: Dave, The Worm That Lives in RFK Jr.’s Brain, Speaks
In 2011 Obama humiliated Trump. In 2023 Trump posted Obama’s address & a Jan6er, Taylor Taranto, went there to kill him. What will Trump do now that Obama mocked his manhood?
Today Marcy Wheeler @emptywheel & Nicole Sandler talked how the Obama’s humiliated Trump & how he is responding following their speeches at the DNC.
Based on his calls into Fox & Newsmax after the end of Harris’ speech, it’s really getting under his skin. I’m loving it, but then again I’m a huge fan of the late night comedy hosts doing bits on Trump.
I also know that thatTrump really, really hates to be laughed at. When it happens to him his response is to say, “People are laughing at America!” (Hmm, I wonder what he said before he was President & associated himself with the country?)
Trump got back at people who laughed at him in 2011 with the classic, “I’ll show them!” and became President. But that wasn’t enough for him. He also did the rich person bully thing and sued people who challenged him.
I predict Trump will be found guilty. Someone from the NY AGs office will make a statement on the steps of the courthouse.
Jury Finds Donald Trump Guilty In E Jean Carroll Defamation Case May 10, 2023 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBSyT3ebB88
Then, instead of talking about the win for the rule of law, the focus of ALL the coverage in the mainstream media will be on the appeal.
The legal experts will explain all the ways the ruling can be overturned and how an appeal can take years. The political experts will wonder if this will hurt Trump’s chances of being elected President. There will be a New York Times poll that asks if “Do you believe the conviction is legitimate?” Trump’s GOP sycophant’s will question the integrity of the “95% Democrat jury” and wonder “who was on that jury?” New attacks on Judge Merchan and his daughter will happen, then right before sentencing time there will be ANOTHER SWATTING attempt at someone’s home.
It’s easy to predict this, because we’ve seen this before. It is all part of Trump & the RW’s long term plan to make the left feel demoralized, even following a success.
As of April 26, 2024 Donald Trump hasn’t stopped violating his Judge Merchan gag order. Until the punishments are strong enough to make him stop, we need to take steps to stop and punish his followers, who make threats on his behalf.
Marcy Wheeler was on the Nicole Sandler show last week talking about Donald Trump’s systematic threatening of his critics and how normalized political violence is for anybody who comes up against Donald Trump. I’ve written about, and asked a lot of questions about, how threats online and social media have an impact and what can be done about them. It was great to hear from Marcy the scope of the problem, how it involves the legal system, the media, social media and gave some names of major players who make threats on social media and get away with it.
“There is nobody who is on the wrong side of Donald Trump who is not stalked, who does not face mob violence, and it is systematic. There’s a group of these people, Jesse Watters, we talked about. Jack Posobiec is always involved. Mike Cernovich is always involved. These people in Roger Stone’s world. They . . . → Read More: When Trump jurors are stalked & threatened by MAGAts, who arrests them?
Jena Griswold, the Colorado Secretary of State was on Chris Hayes talking about the threats she got and revealed that there was a 600% increase in threats to her and staff. 600% WTF?
That day, she received an email declaring: “We are coming for you bitch.” Another person emailed, “If you have kids, I hope they get murdered by illegal aliens,” adding, “Seriously, just die.”
In a voicemail, someone said, “I can’t wait to find you and follow you to your house and expose your address.” Another person left a voicemail saying, “I’d love for you to die.” Some time this month, a person told Griswold on social media, “Take my advice and wear Kevlar … a lot of Kevlar!!!”
‘Just Die’: Colorado Elections Chief Who Took on Trump Sees 600% Spike in Threats, By Andrew Perez, Adam Rawnsley, Ryan Bort, Asawin Suebsaeng March 28, 2024
On these cable news segments we often hear some specific threats, but unless someone counts all the threats, and then tells the media about them, we never know just how huge the problem is. And if we don’t know how huge the problem is, we also don’t know how terrible the response to the . . . → Read More: A 600% increase in threats! Hey DOJ, where are the arrests?
Two of Trump’s worst nightmares are happening right now, he’s broke and people are laughing at him.It’s glorious! I’m enjoying these 24 hours of knowing he’s squirming. In this clip you can see how Eric Trump is personally experiencing his Dad’s humiliation at the hands of bankers and bond companies.Eric Trump Sunday interview on Fox News, host Maria Bartiromo
“When I came to them saying, ‘Hey, can I get a 1/2 billion dollar bond?’ Maria they were laughing!”
-Eric Trump to Maria Bartiromo on Fox 3-24-2024
It’s interesting that Eric is doing this. Why not Daddy? Because they know Donald always get revenge against people who laugh at him and don’t do what he wants. On Monday there will be some story about how Trump leveraged the recent IPO to get the money for a bond. Or he’ll file for a Double Secret Special Extension that will kick the can down the road 30 days. Or, he’ll get the money from “outside the US” (I noted that Eric used that phrase intentionally twice, he’s setting it up for a “We had to go outside the US because no one would do it in the US!” We’ll . . . → Read More: They’re all laughing at you Trump!
Did you know that Judge Scott McAfee delayed his written order on Willis and Wade for a week because he had been receiving threats? He needed time for proper security to be in place for him and his family. The ONLY source that I found who mentioned this was Kyle Griffin at MSNBC.
This really PISSES ME OFF. I try to be all logical about the reasons the threats keep working and point to solutions, but I’m really sick and tired of the BS excuses by law enforcement when it comes to dealing with threats from the MAGA base to the judges, prosecutors, witnesses, jurors AND THEIR FAMILIES, in Donald Trump’s legal cases.
I’m a fast talker but slow writer so I dictated my thoughts to Otter.AI (a service I use to transcribe videos). It has a feature to summarize what you said and provide action items. It worked surprisingly well!
Spocko is frustrated with the lack of action taken by law enforcement to address threats made against judges and their families. He argues that local law enforcement should have anticipated and prepared for these threats, but their failure to do so is driving him ‘nuts.’
I just read Barb McQuade’s new book. Attack from Within. How Disinformation is Sabotaging America. I had planned to go see her in person at the Commonwealth Club and ask her some questions, but it was sold out, plus I knew what would happen, the first person at the mic would say, “I don’t have a question so much as a 3 part comment ” and talk for 5 minutes.” (I’m guilty of that myself, I even used that phrasing as a joke line with my friend Cory Doctorow and Annalee Newitz at his book reading for Red Team Blues. )My goal when asking book authors questions is to help them amplify the parts I see as important in a memorable way. Especially for an audience that needs to hear it, but will likely never read the book.So when I heard Barb was going to be on the Nicole Sandler show I wrote Nicole and said, “I think the most important point Barb makes in the book is that with social media our old metaphors of speech & debate are out of date and they are being used against us. Please get Barb to repeat this, with examples! . . . → Read More: Americans old metaphors about free speech & debate don’t work with social media. But we still cling to them says Barb McQuade
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