Can Fox news be sued over their COVID-19 coverage?

[Kingofalldems]

Link to tweet

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Anybody can sue anybody. The question is who wins.

In this case, suing Fox would probably be a lost cause. There's no requirement for a "news" organization to actually tell the truth.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. But if, like advertising for cigarettes, you RELIED on the representations made,

and made deleterious decisions (excuse the alliteration) based on your reliance, and you suffered harm, there could be an argument that gets you to a settlement or a judgment.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. Nope. That implies a promise was made that results in a contractual relationship

in which the promise must be kept. There's a concept in contract law called promissory estoppel, according to which a promise can be enforced if a party relied on a promise to their detriment, even though the purported contract might be otherwise unenforceable for lack of consideration (quid pro quo). The elements are:

1. A promise was made;
2. Reliance on the promise was reasonable or foreseeable;
3. There was actual and reasonable reliance on the promise;
4. The reliance was detrimental; and
5. The promisee can be fairly compensated only by enforcing the promise.

An actual promise would have to be made to an individual, and that individual would have had to change their position or taken some action in reliance on the promise, with a detrimental result. Fox's false and misleading statements are not promises. There is no contract or semblance of a contract between Fox and its viewers - just a bunch of slack-jawed viewers believing the bullshit produced by Trump's Pravda.

[Under The Radar]

3. If I had Bloomberg's money they sure would be sued

[Yonnie3]

4. I guess we will find out, one is in the works

From Times of San Diego

Washington State Group Is 1st to Sue Fox News for Calling Coronavirus a ‘Hoax’

An obscure Washington state group has become the first in the nation to sue Fox News over its coronavirus coverage, asking a state court to keep the cable network from airing false information about the pandemic.

The 10-page complaint — filed Thursday in King County — also names as defendants Fox News Corp., owner Rupert Murdoch, AT&T TV and COMCAST.

It seeks an injunction to prohibit the conservative-leaning outlet from “interfering with reasonable and necessary measures to contain the virus.

<snip>

https://timesofsandiego.com/business/2020/04/02/washington-state-group-is-1st-to-sue-fox-news-for-calling-coronavirus-a-hoax/

[NoMoreRepugs]

5. Forwarding to all my Fox loving relatives whom I have

ZERO contact with. Thanks Trevor.

[SBoy]

7. Hannity wants to sue those pointing Out he's an Asshole

Well Hannity is threatening to sue for criticizing him.




https://www.salon.com/2020/04/02/sean-hannity-threatens-to-sue-media-outlets-for-criticizing-fox-news-coronavirus-coverage/

[Runningdawg]

8. Sure you can sue but don't count on going to court anytime in the next 5 years.

Courts will only be hearing violent crime cases for the foreseeable future.