A Florida Judge Got Suspended for Sharing a Fake Recording. Remember That Before You Forward Anything Tonight

The night before an election is when the fake clips fly. So here's a story worth knowing. Florida's Supreme Court suspended Broward County Judge Lauren Nichole Peffer for 30 days, fined her $10,000 and ordered a public reprimand, the ABA Journal and Bloomberg Law reported.

During her 2024 campaign, Peffer pointed a newspaper to a recording that supposedly captured Florida Supreme Court justices and a chief judge. It was fake, and the state Judicial Qualifications Commission concluded it was likely AI-generated. She also cited a book she admitted she hadn't read.

The court didn't say she made the recording. It said she spread false accusations without checking them, and that hurt public trust in the courts.

That rule only binds judges. But the lesson is for everybody. If a clip of a candidate saying something wild shows up in your group chat tonight, look for the original source before you share it.

What we still don't know: who made the recording.