040 The Erickson Report, Page 1: Good News

040 The Erickson Report, Page 1: Good News

Okay, let's open with two bits of Good News.

First, the end of last month, YouTube responded to the waves of misinformation and outright lies about COVID-19 and the vaccines and in doing so went beyond what would have been expected of a corporate giant with its eyes on the bottom line. Specifically, on September 29 the company issued a statement saying 

content that falsely alleges that approved vaccines are dangerous and cause chronic health effects, claims that vaccines do not reduce transmission or contraction of disease, or contains misinformation on the substances contained in vaccines will be removed.

In other words, not only will the COVID b.s. be removed but all the anti-vax b.s. will be removed.

There are of course exceptions and loopholes, so it's going to depend on how serious the platform is on enforcing the rules, but still credit where it's due for going beyond where I at least had any expectation.

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I suppose this is here just because it made me feel good.

On October 1, Texas District Court Judge Maya Guerra Gamble issued default judgments against conspiracy wacko and all-around dumbo Alex Jones, citing his long track record of bad faith in dealing with lawsuits by parents of two children killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Jones had claimed the shooting was a hoax and a "false flag" operation and that the parents were lying about mourning their children.

What this ruling means that it's no longer a question of if he will be held responsible for the defamation and emotional distress he inflicted on them with his lies, but only one of, in the words of Bill Ogden, a lawyer for the parents, "how big a check is it going to be."

The ruling is subject to appeal and one will doubtless come, but Jones is running out of dodges. He is being run to ground and I can't deny that is a feel-good story.