California lawmakers are introducing a pair of bills to combat COVID-19 misinformation, including disciplinary action against doctors who do not advocate for the vaccine.
The bills, authored by Democratic members of the Senate and Assembly, aim to combat what they say is a growing social media chorus of anti-vaccine dissent from doctors.
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“It shall constitute unprofessional conduct for a physician and surgeon to disseminate or promote misinformation or disinformation related to COVID-19, including false or misleading information regarding the nature and risks of the virus, its prevention and treatment; and the development, safety, and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines,” A.B. 2098 said.
Additionally, a companion Senate bill would require social media platforms to disclose how their algorithms promote user content.
“Ultimately, we shouldn’t have to wait for whistleblowers like the Facebook whistleblower for us to understand how online platforms and social media have been negatively influencing our lives, including our ability to stop this pandemic,” said Sen. Richard Pan in a news report about his bill.
California has a Democratic supermajority that has overwhelmingly favored vaccines, so the bills are almost certain to pass. The Biden administration has routinely favored social media censorship of pandemic information that opposes that of Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Recently, a campaign to silence podcast host Joe Rogan ensued after he spoke to Dr. Robert Malone, who invented the mRNA technology on which the vaccines are based. Malone has been critical of vaccine mandates and the fact natural immunity has not been given enough focus.
A.B. 2098 said doctors are among the most “dangerous propagators of inaccurate information” and that the Federation of State Medical Boards warned they risk losing their licenses.
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To mete out punishment, the Medical Board shall “consider” various scenarios, including whether the misinformation caused someone to decline vaccination not justified by their medical condition or whether the doctor acted maliciously.
Republican Sen. Melissa Melendez criticized the legislation — and Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“It’s ironic the majority party will try to silence Joe Rogan or interfere with doctors and their patients but won’t reprimand their own governor for breaking his own rules,” she said. “It’s clear these bills illustrate the moral superiority they want to have over the common people who, to them, just don’t get it. We know the majority party wants to control every aspect of your life and silence its doubters. It’s measures like these that make that message abundantly clear.”
