7 major website builders were contacted to see how they handle fake news on their platforms.
A reader, Melissa Haun, was interested in a previous post I wrote about Covid-19 vaccine misinformation and how the propagators of these lies endanger the public. She wrote me regarding whether website builders should be held responsible for the content that is published on their platforms, especially if it is fake news. I’ll admit that this issue did not cross my mind, as social media platforms were heavily criticized for not taking action against several influential people who have used their platforms to spread conspiracy theories and rhetoric that is not factually correct.
I read an essay Haun wrote that was based on an investigation of seven major website builders’ policies regarding fake news. I’ll admit that I was not surprised by what the study revealed and action must be taken. Here’s the link to Ms. Haun’s essay. Read it for yourself and let me know what you think in the comments.
Russell Brooks is the author of four suspense thrillers. His latest, JAM RUN, will be out in 2022
