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By Daniel Orton
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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned Tuesday that democracy is at stake, during a conversation about media and news literacy.
"We will lose our democracy," Sotomayor said, if people are unable to determine the credibility of the news and information they are consuming.
"You cannot depend upon what people are telling you," she added, urging people to research original sources and not rely on "any one news source."
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"News literacy is the obligation of all of us to become more knowledgeable to get accurate information," the Obama-appointed justice said.
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Why It Matters
Misinformation in the U.S. has seen a notable increase in recent years, particularly surrounding significant events such as elections and natural disasters. The 2024 presidential election, for instance, was marked by widespread dissemination of false claims, including unfounded allegations of election fraud and manipulated content aimed at discrediting candidates. A report by the News Literacy Project highlighted that in the weeks leading up to the election, false claims casting doubt on the electoral process were prevalent on social media.
Sotomayor's warning comes amid a wave of misleading information being spread online about government funding, much of it amplified by the Trump administration and Elon Musk.
What to Know
Sotomayor, a member of the Supreme Court's liberal minority, was speaking with Knight Foundation president and CEO Maribel Perez Wadsworth at an event at Miami Dade College.
Wadsworth asked Sotomayor how important she thought the role of the press was in democracy.
The 73-year-old justice reflected on the three main TV news channels available in her youth and the "respected" newscaster Walter Cronkite.
"Many have called the press in the past the fourth branch of government, because the press has always brought transparency to what the other three branches are," she said.
"The internet is creating an extraordinary challenge to the press and to the world," Sotomayor added, "because it's largely unregulated, it has no standards of conduct."
The exchange was part of a broader discussion about the importance of judicial authority in maintaining the nation's system of checks and a warning that the courts must act cautiously to preserve public trust.
Sotomayor highlighted the historical precedent of presidents respecting judicial rulings, though she acknowledged exceptions. "By and large, we have been a country who has understood that the rule of law has helped us maintain our democracy," she said. "But it's also because the court has proceeded cautiously, and has proceeded understanding that it has to proceed slowly."
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Those remarks come amid legal challenges to President Donald Trump's executive actions, which have tested the limits of presidential power.
Sotomayor did not directly mention Trump. However, her comments come as Trump's legal battles continue to shape national discourse. His administration faced multiple judicial rebukes over attempts to implement sweeping policy changes, including efforts to dismantle federal agencies and alter immigration law.
Federal judges have blocked attempts by Trump to enforce mass federal resignations and implement an executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship.
Sotomayor noted that while most presidents have historically abided by judicial rulings, there have been exceptions, citing President Andrew Jackson's defiance of an 1832 Supreme Court ruling that favored the Cherokee Nation against forced removal.
Sotomayor has previously voiced concerns over the court's direction. Last week, she criticized the conservative-majority court for overturning long-standing precedents, a shift that she argued has left many Americans uncertain about their legal protections.
What People Are Saying
Charles Salter, president and CEO of the News Literacy Project, told Newsweek: "We agree with Justice Sotomayor that the lack of news literacy skills today poses a danger to all of us. But we also see a solution. We are working toward it every day by bringing free news literacy education to school districts across the country, with the goal of ensuring all high school graduates have the ability to think for themselves so they can confidently navigate our information saturated world."
What Happens Next
The Supreme Court is set to rule on several high-profile cases that could further redefine legal precedent, including matters related to executive power and election laws.
This article contains reporting by The Associated Press
Update, 2/12/25, 09:02 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Charles Salter.
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