This 2012 thing has a lot of people scared. I know it's bunk and there is no astronomical or historical basis for the claims being made.

When the media promote belief in this, could someone possibly make a class action child abuse case out of it? There is already one confirmed teen suicide as the result of it.

The History Channel, for example, has aired that stupid 2012/Doomsday documentary many times and in their own description of it on their "Armageddon Week" page, they wrote, "On December 21, 2012, the world is going to come to an end." They made no attempt to mitigate that opening statement.

I have seen countless people, mostly kids, I suspect, in the A&S forum, terrified about this. Making matters worse are all the people on the Internet who aggressively push this garbage.

Could a case of psychological abuse be made out of this? As far as I am concerned, it's no better than putting razor blades in Halloween apples.
No, Kattie, you're dead wrong on both counts. I *have* read up on it and there isn't a single legitimate source which claims these things. I am capable of evaluating the astronomical predictions on my own. If you go look at my record on the A&S forum, you will see this for yourself.

Furthermore, you didn't answer my question.
Thank you for the thoughtful feedback Lexie, but I didn't say it was worthless. My argument is that it is harmful.
The Mercury Theater, "War of the Worlds" broadcast had completely unanticipated consequences. It was also intentional fiction. The pushing of 2012 doomsday is irresponsible and deliberately attempts to terrorize people into watching their show and seeing their commercials. 2012 is not intended as fantasy. It is being sold "straight."
PITA, thanks. WOMD are real. They have been used before. They present a real potential for great harm. That makes them somewhat different from 2012 doomsday predictions.
Valet Parking, that sounds like a credible argument. Too bad. I'd really like to see some of the HC people and their sponsors and producers of that doc go down for this.