History always provides context. In the late 1700s, the "printing press" gave new freedoms to publishers never before seen in all of history. How did our lawmakers react?
Yes, they passed the 1st Amendment, protecting the right to free press. But just a few years later, they also passed...
> [The Sedition Act] criminalized making 'false statements' critical of the federal government
And an example of prosecution of people through the Sedition Act is Mr. David Brown. Here's his story:
> In November 1798, David Brown led a group in Dedham, Massachusetts, including Benjamin Fairbanks, in setting up a liberty pole with the words, "No Stamp Act, No Sedition Act, No Alien Bills, No Land Tax, downfall to the Tyrants of America; peace and retirement to the President; Long Live the Vice President."[17][19][20] Brown was arrested in Andover, Massachusetts, but because he could not afford the $4,000 bail, he was taken to Salem for trial.[19] Brown was tried in June 1799.[17] Brown pleaded guilty, but Justice Samuel Chase asked him to name others who had assisted him.[17] Brown refused, was fined $480 (equivalent to $7,300 in 2020),[19][21] and sentenced to eighteen months in prison, the most severe sentence imposed under the Sedition Act.[17][19]
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Our 2rd President said at the time:
> “There has been more new error propagated by the press in the last ten years than in an hundred years before 1798”
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EDIT: It should be noted that Ben Franklin himself engaged in the creation of literal fake news, as a propaganda / negotiation tactic against the English Monarchy. Ben Franklin created a false story about Native Americans "Scalping" US Citizens on behalf of orders from the English Crown.
Our founding fathers were no strangers to propaganda, fake-news, and other techniques to rile up populations and/or control the dialog. Indeed, they themselves took advantage of it to successfully launch the Revolution!
Yes, they passed the 1st Amendment, protecting the right to free press. But just a few years later, they also passed...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_and_Sedition_Acts
> [The Sedition Act] criminalized making 'false statements' critical of the federal government
And an example of prosecution of people through the Sedition Act is Mr. David Brown. Here's his story:
> In November 1798, David Brown led a group in Dedham, Massachusetts, including Benjamin Fairbanks, in setting up a liberty pole with the words, "No Stamp Act, No Sedition Act, No Alien Bills, No Land Tax, downfall to the Tyrants of America; peace and retirement to the President; Long Live the Vice President."[17][19][20] Brown was arrested in Andover, Massachusetts, but because he could not afford the $4,000 bail, he was taken to Salem for trial.[19] Brown was tried in June 1799.[17] Brown pleaded guilty, but Justice Samuel Chase asked him to name others who had assisted him.[17] Brown refused, was fined $480 (equivalent to $7,300 in 2020),[19][21] and sentenced to eighteen months in prison, the most severe sentence imposed under the Sedition Act.[17][19]
-----------
Our 2rd President said at the time:
> “There has been more new error propagated by the press in the last ten years than in an hundred years before 1798”
----------
EDIT: It should be noted that Ben Franklin himself engaged in the creation of literal fake news, as a propaganda / negotiation tactic against the English Monarchy. Ben Franklin created a false story about Native Americans "Scalping" US Citizens on behalf of orders from the English Crown.
Our founding fathers were no strangers to propaganda, fake-news, and other techniques to rile up populations and/or control the dialog. Indeed, they themselves took advantage of it to successfully launch the Revolution!