Lies, Libel, and the First Amendment: The Story Behind Dominion v. Fox

What happens when claims broadcast to millions collide with the legal limits of free expression and the press? In this timely guest lecture, media lawyer and author Ian Rosenberg will explore the landmark defamation case Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News Network and its lasting implications for journalism, constitutional law, and American democracy.

Drawing on themes from his forthcoming book Terrible Stuff Damaging Everybody: The True Story of Lies and Libel in Dominion v. Fox, Rosenberg will take audiences behind the scenes of one of the most consequential media lawsuits in modern history. The case exposed internal communications, editorial decisions, and questions about truth, accountability, and the “actual malice” standard at the center of American libel law. Rosenberg will examine why the case mattered, how it reshaped public conversations about misinformation and the media, and what it may mean for the future of the First Amendment and democratic institutions.

Rosenberg brings more than two decades of experience as a media lawyer and has served as legal counsel for ABC News since 2003. He is also an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker and teaches media law at Brooklyn College.

This event is free and open to the public.