• magnetosphere@fedia.io
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    2 days ago

    Throwing in the word “apparent” is cowardly, but it’s also a lot cheaper than being sued for libel by a fucking billionaire.

    • LeninOnAPrayer@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      Nah. Getting sued for libel is what these outlets should be absolutely proud to have sent their way. That’s literally a news story in itself. It would also means he’d actually have to defend it instead of posting Nazi puns on Twitter.

    • IhaveCrabs111@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      So at what point of doing something does it actually become the thing that it was?

      Seems pretty obvious to me.

      • markko@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        From a legal point of view it hasn’t been tried in a court of law, which is why words like “apparently” and “allegedly” are used.

        • IhaveCrabs111@lemmy.world
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          6 minutes ago

          So if Elon literally lay down on the ground we couldn’t say he lay on the ground? You’re saying we would have to say allegedly? What he did is not in question, their argument was intent. It should be obvious that he lay on the ground but reported as possibly unintentionally lay on the ground. The action is clear as day and should not be up for dispute

          • technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            1 day ago

            Yes. It’s impossible to report objectively on capitalists with enough control to sue. This has been shown again and again.

          • markko@lemmy.world
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            24 hours ago

            That is literally what happens in US news when the subject involves a criminal offence or could be considered defamation.

              • RedditRefugee69@lemmynsfw.com
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                1 day ago

                Less than perfectly, due to the constraints of the system they are forced to operate within.*

                You are, of course, free to start up a news agency that fulfills every ideal you hold close, just know that you’ll have to have a lot of funding if you’re going to be spending as much time in court defending against libel lawsuits as you spend on reporting.

    • Kbobabob@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Yeah. They’re cowards because they don’t want to lose any money saying the truth.