Today I read a report of the involvement (I suppose we can’t call it collaboration) of Facebook and Twitter in Russian attempts to destabilize the U.S.A. Of course Twitter, like so many of its clients, is trying to evade responsibility for the content of twitters. The article quoted an expert’s opinion that “Twitter functions more like a broadcast network. People say things and everyone can hear it. When false informaltion is stated, people can jump on false statements and challenge it.” Note that she said “false statements,” not mistaken statements, and “false statements” are very often the malicious and are the same as LIES. And I must ask: does no one bear responsibility for creating and spreading lies? Broadcast networks can be held to some extent accountable for creating and/or spreading lies, though Fox and the limbaughs get away with a great deal. But twitters, with their option for anonymity can spread lies with no adverse consequence to the liars. This anonymity is the mask behind which internet trolls lurk, along with Russian agents and anyone else up to mischief. I do not know how we can go on if liars cannot be detected and face no adverse consequences. The blessings of democracy are too often used to subvert it. We have pushed “freedom of speech” beyond any reasonable limit and opened a way for the sick and the malicious.