iStock/Thinkstock(ROME) — The Senate in Italy has proposed a bill to slap fines and prison sentences on those behind fake news and hate campaigns.
If passed, those found guilty of creating — or spreading — fake news would face fines of up to $5,000. If the news item is deemed a hate campaign, the fine would rise to as much as $10,000 with a two-year prison term.
Opponents of the bill say it would put limits on freedom of speech, that monitoring fake news is virtually impossible, and what is and isn’t harmful to the public is a slippery concept.
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