During a World Economic Forum panel last week, former Secretary of State John Kerry called the First Amendment a “major block” to efforts aimed at combating climate “misinformation.” Kerry voiced his frustration with alternative media sources that, in his view, have disrupted the ability to control narratives about climate change.
Kerry noted that it has become harder to achieve consensus on climate issues due to the rise of outlets that spread disinformation. “If people go to only one source,” he said, “and that source is putting out disinformation, our First Amendment stands as a major block to hammering it out of existence.”
Kerry further explained that legacy media once acted as the referees of truth, but their influence has waned with the proliferation of alternative media. “The referees we used to have, who determined facts, have been eviscerated to a certain degree,” he said.
He acknowledged ongoing discussions about how to curb the influence of alternative media. However, Kerry conceded that the First Amendment creates a barrier for those trying to counter these outlets and their “misinformation.”
His comments drew sharp criticism, with many pointing out that the First Amendment is designed to protect free speech. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) responded by stating that “Democrats hate the rights the U.S. Constitution recognizes.”
Kerry’s remarks reignited debate over the balance between free speech protections and the desire to combat so-called “misinformation” in today’s media landscape. Critics say efforts to regulate information often result in the suppression of free speech.
