March 30, 2021
Voting machine manufacturers have filed a series of defamation lawsuits against allies of former President Trump to hold them accountable for alleged lies about the companies’ role in the election and repair damage to their brands.
Fox News became the latest target of a $1.6 billion lawsuit by Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems after several network hosts spread conspiracy theories pushed by then-President Trump that the company manipulated the results of the November election against him in certain states.
Trump associates Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and MIke Lindell were also sued by Dominion for billions in damages.
Dominion is one of the leading providers of voting machines to states in the United States and relies on procurement decisions of elected officials. Another election systems company, Smartmatic, also filed a defamation lawsuit against Fox News.
Many see these legal battles as another way to combat viral misinformation, though some journalists are concerned that a news organization could be targeted.
The libel lawsuits already seem to be having an effect, with an anchor for Newsmax stepping out in a live interview with My Pillow CEO LIndell when he began making questionable claims about Dominion voting machines. Moreover, Fox News, the Fox Business Network, and Newsmax also aired segments that contradicted the disinformation coming from their own hosts.
Nevertheless, defamation lawsuits are hard to win, requiring unequivocal proof that the person being sued knew that a statement was false when they made it, or had serious doubts about its accuracy.
For more information, you may view the original story from NPR.
