The United States on September 13 said the Russian news outlet RT is taking orders directly from the Kremlin and working with Russian military intelligence to spread disinformation around the world to undermine democracies.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States has gathered new evidence that exposes cooperation between RT and four other subsidiaries of the Rossia Segodnya media group, and it intends to warn other countries of the threat of the disinformation.
In addition to RT, Rossia Segodnya operates RIA Novosti, TV-Novosti, Ruptly, and Sputnik, but the announcement on September 13 focused largely on RT. The outlet, formerly known as Russia Today, has previously been sanctioned for its work to allegedly spread Kremlin propaganda and disinformation.
Yeah I’m inclined to agree. The “press” gets a double dose, frustratingly. Protected speech, but also freedom of the press, where they can publish fighting words or make up news about fires if they want. If we look at groups like OAN they can just blanketly make up whatever lies they find convenient while avoiding any criminal penalties. Nothing stops the National Enquirer from just writing about any alien abduction they feel like, regardless of factuality.
So far civil lawsuits asking for compensation for harm done have been the only thing that even slowed them down, like the Dominion defamation suits, or the Sandy Hook families suing Alex Jones. I don’t think tort law is enough though, not even close. Especially since it waits until after the harm is already done.
Were I a lawyer, I would argue that the fifth estate has a duty to uphold a stricter standard, since public opinion largely relies on them. I would include “leftist” news organizations, too.