Government Powerless Against Cable Lies

The government has limited power to regulate lies on cable news due to the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech and press. The Federal Communications Commission only regulates licensed, local broadcast outlets that transmit through the airwaves, not cable networks. While lawmakers are exploring options, including holding hearings and seeing if there's more latitude that can be given to regulatory agencies, it's unlikely that much can be done. The biggest perceived threat to truth has been from social media and the Internet, leading some lawmakers to propose a new federal watchdog, the Digital Platform Commission, to try and regulate truth online.