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A Washington-based nonprofit organization has filed a lawsuit against Fox News for disseminating false information about the coronavirus.
Washington League for Increased Transparency and Ethics (WASHLITE) says the news organization violated the Washington Consumer Protection Act (CPA), which prohibits deceptive acts or practices within trade and commerce.
The plaintiff claims that Fox News created ongoing uncertainty among some members of the public about the dangers of the spread of COVID-19 and how fast the virus spreads.
WASHLITE also states that Fox News damaged the membership of the organization and that one member has contracted the coronavirus.
Do you think that Fox News circulated false and misleading information about the coronavirus? Get legal help by clicking here.
“Defendants’ campaign of deception led viewers to take unnecessary risks and ignore the dangers of the virus, especially dangers posed to the elderly, immunocompromised, and those with underlying medical conditions,” according to the lawsuit filed against Fox.
The plaintiff also maintains that Fox’s newscasts stripped the public of necessary information which would have assisted in mitigating the transmission of the virus across Washington State. Fox’s actions dissuaded the public from protecting themselves from contracting the coronavirus, WASHLITE says.
The nonprofit is asking for injunctive relief from the court, as well as a clear and formal retraction from Fox News regarding their statements that the virus was a hoax.
The defendants, through their anchors Sean Hannity and Trish Regan, acted in bad faith when they “willfully and maliciously” dispersed false information which denied or minimized the extent of the spread of the coronavirus, WASHLITE alleges.
“As a result of this misinformation by this dominant subscription news network, a continuing falsehood has been fostered that the virus is a ‘hoax’, a ‘conspiracy,’ and that it is no more dangerous than common influenza,” the Fox News coronavirus lawsuit states.
However, Lily Fu Claffee who is General Counsel for FOX News Media states that the lawsuit is “Wrong on the facts, frivolous on the law. We will defend vigorously and seek sanctions as appropriate.”
The lawsuit claims that because of the Fox News actions, timely steps to slow the spread of the coronavirus were postponed, delayed and ignored. This continued uncertainty, which was caused by Fox News, undercut effective implementation of measures that could have been used in an attempt to contain the coronavirus.
“This misinformation was disseminated to further Defendants’ business plan and to sell advertising by creating controversy through the dissemination of false information regardless of the reasonably foreseeable adverse effects such misinformation would have upon the American public and public health and safety,” the Fox News COVID-19 lawsuit states.
The plaintiffs argue that Fox’s campaign of deception continues to create uncertainty about how public officials are working to slow the spread of the virus, and that the action of Fox News continues to impede effective measures to control the coronavirus.
Fox News has created an “epidemiological hazard,” in that a subset of the population are continuing to resist necessary and reasonable efforts to control the virus and prevent death, the plaintiffs argue.
According to the Fox News lawsuit, the elderly who often have compromised immune systems, as well as others with underlying health conditions, are at a higher risk of contracting the virus.
The viewers of Fox News who believe that the coronavirus is a hoax will inevitably put non-viewers at risk by ignoring the warnings of public health officials and will spread the disease, the plaintiff says.
In addition, WASHLITE complains that the actions of Fox News created an uncertainty among some public officers and members of the public about the dangers of the coronavirus and how quickly it could spread.
The nonprofit also maintains that Fox News is in violation of the CPA because their actions offended public policy, was immoral, unethical, and oppressive, and that it caused injuries to consumers.
An article in the Times of San Diego says that Fox News has since parted ways with Regan after she ranted that the coronavirus was a scam related to the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
The plaintiff says that by calling the global coronavirus pandemic a hoax, the defendants created an “actual controversy” as it created an uncertainty among the general public and public officials regarding the dangers posed by the coronavirus, as well as what appropriate actions were needed to counteract it.
In addition, the lawsuit alleges that Fox News committed a Tort of Outrage “by intentionally and recklessly acting in a heinous and outrageous manner far beyond the pale of decent and civilized conduct, which conduct caused reasonably foreseeable severe mental and emotional distress.”
According to an article on The Daily Beast, Fox News and the Fox Corporation are preparing to defend any lawsuits filed against them for circulating misleading information regarding the coronavirus. The article states that the company is “ready to go to war” with plaintiffs such as WASHLITE who file lawsuits against them.
The plaintiff is represented by Elizabeth Hallock of the Law Office of Elizabeth Hallock PLLC.
The Fox News Hoax Lawsuit is Washington League for Increased Transparency and Ethics v. Fox News, et al., in the Superior Court of Washington, County of King.
UPDATE: On May 18, 2020, Fox News filed a motion to dismiss the coronavirus lawsuit.
UPDATE 2: On May 27, 2020, Fox’s motion to dismiss the coronavirus lawsuit was granted. Fox News issued the following statement: “Using a false portrayal of FOX News Channel’s commentary, WASHLITE attempted to silence a national news organization to settle a partisan grievance. This was not only wrong, but contemptuous of the foundation of free speech and we are both pleased the court dismissed this frivolous case and grateful to the First Amendment community that rallied to our side.”
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351 thoughts onFox News Faces Lawsuit After Downplaying Coronavirus
Please add me. I agree I was mislead by FOX News. I no longer tune in to this channel to get my news.
I agree I was very misleading and did not believe that there was seriousness to this pandemic and continue my trip to Las Vegas and returned on March 10 2020 and was very upset due to me having a daughter with type 1 diabetes. And not knowing the severity of the disease could have cost her her life and I could have very well past something onto my family members. Yes I very interested in this case and would like to be added.
add me
Agree, hoax and other misleading info caused isolation from family due to their belief based on FOX news until recently.
Irresponsible and harmful. Putting families at risk.
YES I AGREE, FOX NEWS WAS VERY MISLEADING. PLEASE ADD ME
Sue cnn and mnbc. Fox is the only media that tells the truth.
FOX is FAKE NEWS ADD ME
add me
ADD ME. IT IS SHAMEFUL! FOR MAKING VIEWERS ASSUME ITS FACTUAL OTHERWISE ITS INTENTIONALLY INDIFFERENCE TO DO HARM . I HAVE HEART CONDITION AND I CANT FACT CHECK THAT QUICKLY! DIRTY POOL
Do not add me to this. You’ve got to be kidding me. This is got to be a left-wing lawsuit. You’ll never hear the two types of standards that the CNN, MSNBC, New York Times perpetuate & Or in the tank with fake dossier hours and impeachment of the president.