Outlawing 'fake news' in Europe evokes "1984"

What's worse, fake news or laws to criminalize fake news?

The front-runner in France's presidential campaign warned today that Russian media are threatening democracy by distributing "fake news." There are similar concerns in the Netherlands and Germany. In some countries, there've been proposals for sanctions — and even prison terms — for distributing false information. Flemming Rose is a Danish journalist and senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute. He's reminded of George Orwell's dystopian novel, 1984.