Media Outlets Face Criticism For Refusing To Remove False Content

The dispute centers around a 2017 court case involving a businessman who was captured on camera shackled and clad in an orange jumpsuit during his initial court appearance. Two of three television stations involved in the case have since removed the original articles from their websites, citing the need to correct the false information.

However, a third station has refused to take down the article, citing its policy of not removing stories from its website. According to Barry Richard, the attorney representing the businessman, the media outlets are receiving a privilege that no one else has. "The media receives a privilege none of us have," Richard argued.

"Material can 'stay up forever' on news outlets' websites. How does that make sense? Why should they be able to keep it up forever, knowing that it's false? It just makes no sense, "and it can destroy people's ___s."" In contrast... Sam Morley, "general counsel of the Florida Press Association.".. suggests a more balanced approach.

"A better approach would be to require publishers to update stories to include corrections to original posts," Morley said.

Reference: Found here

Barry Richard, an attorney who represents the man, told the committee that two of three television stations took down stories from their websites depicting the once-successful businessman captured on camera shackled and clad in an orange jumpsuit during an initial court appearance in 2017. The third station had a policy not to remove stories from its website, according to Richard.
"The media receives a privilege none of us have," Richard argued, adding that material can "stay up forever" on news outlets' websites. "How does that make sense? Why should they be able to keep it up forever, knowing that it's false? It just makes no sense, and it can destroy people's lives."