Germany Moves To Impose Crippling Fines On Social Networks For “Fake News”

Censorship coming your way?

Now, Germany is considering imposing a legal regime that would allow fining social networks such as Facebook up to 500,000 euros ($522,000) for each day the platform leaves a “fake news” story up without deleting it. Governments have finally found a vehicle to get citizens to allow them to curtail or chill speech — ironically in the name of facilitating “real news” or “truth.” It is perfectly Orwellian and Merkel’s latest contribution to the erosion of free speech in the West.

The "fake news" button is on the way.

Few companies will risk such crippling fines, resulting in self-censorship from the chilling effect of the law. The bill would require companies to flag “fake news” and impose civil liability on companies. Germany’s parliamentary chief of the Social Democrat party, Thomas Oppermann is quoted as saying “If after the relevant checks Facebook does not immediately, within 24 hours, delete the offending post then [it] must reckon with severe penalties of up to 500,000 euros.”

Other lawmakers are reportedly moving toward criminalizing anything the government deems to be “fake news.”

Another step toward 1984.

Do these politicians not suspect there might be a populist reaction?

If so, it won't be coming from the left.

The left appears to be leading this crusade for greater government censorship in both Europe and the United States.

That leaves Libertarianism as the remaining option.

Germany Moves To Impose Crippling Fines On Social Networks For “Fake News”

Jonathan Turley | Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University