Just like the Sun (News of the World) then
"Facebook, Google and Twitter are attempting the same fake-modesty approach used by newspaper publishers and other media outlets for decades. Despite consciously and deliberately trying to get readers to vote in a specific way in elections, plenty of printed newspapers claimed they had no real impact when push came to shove. Editors would boast about their influence on front pages, and then, in the face of looming press regulation or criticism, quietly argue they didn't have any actual power."
Its not our fault we posted fake stuff. We just printed what people told us (though we knew it would sell loads of papers and its not our job to check the facts is it? Being publishers?).
Great piece by the way. Impressive bit of analysis.
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My two cents. If people are publishing stuff then they should be held liable under the law. Publishing equates to printing, distribution and editorial control. I would need to be much more acquainted with the relevant UK statutes to know where the responsibility lies, but my gut feeling is that liability should lie at least in part with the distributor.