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# Calling a lie a lie - if you're a journalist
- URL: https://onemanandhisblog.com/2017/02/trump-administartion-lies-or-alternative-facts/
- Published: 2017-02-02T14:55:25.000Z
- Updated: 2017-02-03T09:18:50.000Z
- Author: Adam Tinworth
- Tags: Journalism, lying, Politics, trump

Here’s an interesting take on an issue that seems to be gripping American journalists right now:

> In a nutshell, a statement can fairly be called a lie if there is abundant evidence to the contrary that a speaker should have known about. For example, you can argue that saying the inauguration drew record crowds deserves to be called a lie because there are multiple credible news reports that have proven this to be untrue. At the time of the inauguration, saying so might merely have been a misunderstanding. But one week later, that stance has hardened into something that could be called a lie.\*\*\*\*

Mathew Ingram make a good job of [untangling the complications and ethical issues around calling something a lie](http://fortune.com/2017/01/26/donald-trump-facts-lies/?ref=onemanandhisblog.com). The core point? To be a lie, there has to be *an intent* to deceive. And it’s hard for to know people’s intent with authority.