Chief Justice John Roberts Warns of Online Misinformation Dangers in New Year’s Eve Message

Chief Justice John Roberts warned of the dangers that misinformation being spread on social media can pose in his annual New Year's Eve message, Politico reports. “In our age, when social media can instantly spread rumor and false information on a grand scale, the public’s need to understand our government, and the protections it provides, is ever more vital,” Roberts wrote. He also wrote how rumors led to riots in the early days of the republic, recalling how founder John Jay “fell victim to a rock thrown by a rioter” in 1788 who was riled up over gossip that medical students were digging up corpses for experiments. President Trump has often been criticized for spreading misinformation online by repeating falsehoods and retweeting conspiracy theorists. Roberts also previously made a rare public statement rebuking Trump's claim that there were biased “Obama judges” just over a year ago. As chief justice, Roberts is expected to preside over Trump's trial as the Senate takes up the two articles of impeachment against the president in coming weeks.