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California approves bill to punish doctors who spread false information

nytimes.com

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Re: California approves bill to punish doctors who spread false information

#11

Post by kadoban »

landofredwater wrote: post #3

> While the legislation has raised concerns over freedom of speech, the bill’s sponsors said the extensive harm caused by false information required holding incompetent or ill-intentioned doctors accountable. There was no addressing the actual issue in this statement. If you're arguing an issue falls under free speech, then the response of "OK, but it's really bad" doesn't change the free-ness of the speech.

> There was no addressing the actual issue in this statement. If you're arguing an issue falls under free speech, then the response of "OK, but it's really bad" doesn't change the free-ness of the speech.

There are no rights that are absolute. You can have a right of free speech and still not be allowed to yell "Fire!" in a crowded theatre.

Additionally, being an expert comes with some responsibility. You are given trust due to your station, abusing that trust should be punished.

Re: California approves bill to punish doctors who spread false information

#13

Post by SanjayMehta »

This will not end well.

Say this law was in place when COVID-19 started and a doctor said "hey, this looks like a new virus causing this pneumonia."

This is exactly what is supposed to have happened in Wuhan and those doctors were, surprise surprise, punished by their government.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/07/world/asia/chinese-doctor...

Re: California approves bill to punish doctors who spread false information

#15

Post by leeroyjenkins11 »

dahart wrote: post #9
landofredwater wrote: post #3

> While the legislation has raised concerns over freedom of speech, the bill’s sponsors said the extensive harm caused by false information required holding incompetent or ill-intentioned doctors accountable. There was no addressing the actual issue in this statement. If you're arguing an issue falls under free speech, then the response of "OK, but it's really bad" doesn't change the free-ness of the speech.

False statements of fact are not protected under free speech. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_free_speech_exce...

The issue is who decides what is false. Will people be prosecuted for saying true things that the state says is false? It's not like the state would lie about something.

Re: California approves bill to punish doctors who spread false information

#17

Post by romeros »

kadoban wrote: post #11
landofredwater wrote: post #3

> While the legislation has raised concerns over freedom of speech, the bill’s sponsors said the extensive harm caused by false information required holding incompetent or ill-intentioned doctors accountable. There was no addressing the actual issue in this statement. If you're arguing an issue falls under free speech, then the response of "OK, but it's really bad" doesn't change the free-ness of the speech.

> There was no addressing the actual issue in this statement. If you're arguing an issue falls under free speech, then the response of "OK, but it's really bad" doesn't change the free-ness of the speech. There are no rights that are absolute. You can have a right of free speech and still not be allowed to yell "Fire!" in a crowded theatre. Additionally, being an expert comes with some responsibility. You are given t…

The assumption is that the expert is wrong. Frequently some experts who hold contrarian opinions which are against the mainstream narrative are usually vindicated with time.

For instance lets say CDC recommends people to wash their hands with water/sanitizer. There is a group of experts who question the efficacy of it. These experts should not be punished. Least of by layman/politicians/lawmakers/noobs who have no clue about the subject matter.

Re: California approves bill to punish doctors who spread false information

#19

Post by ceeplusplus »

jakelazaroff wrote: post #12
purpleblue wrote: post #10

[flagged]

> The idea that the state would define and criminalize what "false" information is is absolutely disgusting. What do you think libel and perjury are?

You mean things that can be challenged in court as opposed to a unilateral, unelected bureaucracy?
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