In the abstract, that's how information spreads. Just look at conventional media: A small group judges something or someone newsworthy, and then the other outle

In the abstract, that's how information spreads. Just look at conventional media: A small group judges something or someone newsworthy, and then the other outlets repeat it. Or, look at the old email chains that were popular before social media. But, more importantly, people like to spread what they want to believe, even if it's not true. Trump really played into that: He started by promoting the birther theory, which people who didn't like Obama chose to believe. Finally, he promoted the theory that there was widespread election fraud, even though it was thoroughly disproven. Again, people chose to believe Trump's lie even though it was thoroughly disproven. IMO, we need to strengthen our slander laws, and have a higher "burden of truth" on our media companies. Specifically, if a media company covers provenly false information in a way that implies it is, or could be, true, that media company needs to be prosecuted for slander, or worse. But, more importantly, we need to prosecute elected officials who contradict fact; and ban candidates who brazenly contradict established fact.