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What is the difference between libel and a demonstrably false idea?


Libel is a statement that damages the reputation of a person. Libelous statements are not protected under the First Amendment.

Ideas about election fraud do not fall into this exception to the First Amendment unless they refer to individuals and make defamatory statements about them.

For the record, I'm not saying there couldn't be a reason to ban these statements, just that a libelous statement is not a good comparison because it is one of the established exceptions to the First Amendment.


>exceptions to the First Amendment.

In other words, a but. Which is the whole point - the original statement was you can't have freedom of speech with "buts". We already have "buts", and most people would agree we have freedom of speech.

A functioning society can't have the unbridled "freedom of speech" op is insinuating we should have. You aren't free to lie in a court of law, that's infringing on your freedom of speech. You can't falsely accuse someone of a crime - also an infringement on freedom of speech. Add countless other exceptions to the rule. And all of that is ignoring the fact that "freedom of speech" doesn't mean: other people are forced to listen to you or repeat what you said.




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