CNN blackmails Reddit user
The Washington Times reports that CNN has threatened to publicly reveal the identity of the Reddit user who created the video he created last week of President Trump beating up the CNN logo;
Andrew Kaczynski, senior editor of CNN’s KFile, discovered the identity of the Reddit user who made a short video of President Trump tackling a man with CNN’s logo superimposed on his face to the ground.
CNN is withholding the man’s identity “because he is a private citizen who has issued an extensive statement of apology, showed his remorse by saying he has taken down all his offending posts, and because he said he is not going to repeat this ugly behavior on social media again,” Mr. Kaczynski wrote in an article published Tuesday night.
“CNN reserves the right to publish his identity should any of that change,” he continued.
CNN has no “right” to publish anyone’s identity, for any reason, but using this particular blackmail technique is especially odious. Talk about the media making the news about themselves. Kaczynski seems pretty proud of himself. I think he’s just another internet troll who is, himself, no better than HansAssholeSolo – the fellow who created the video.
Category: Media
First rule of holes … stop digging!
CNN is just begging for the Doxxing of its own employees to start.
This is just going to get ugly … fast.
Kekistan are staunch supporters of Trump. They have cyber capabilities that make the rest of the world look like 4 years playing with an old rotary phone.
I can barely believe that CNN is so proud of this that it was their top story this morning. My opinion of them hasn’t been terribly high for the last couple years, but this is the worst thing I that think I’ve read all year. I can’t imagine anybody reading that article thinking “yeah, you go get ’em CNN.”
Sadly, a fair number of butthurt former Hillary supporters will cheer them on every step of the way.
How much negative attention are they getting now?
It’s going on half-past the afternoon hour in my kingdom.
I hope 4Chan decides to make CNN a ‘special project’ and burn them to the ground. I also hope that, with this public statement from CNN, the target of their doxing threat comes out and sues their asses into the ground.
Maybe I’m wrong, but since they have admitted to threatening the person that made that video, shouldn’t the feds get involved here and start investigating CNN for extortion?
If what I’ve heard so far today is true, that’s exactly what the FBI is doing as we speak.
4Chan is nothing more than the cyber branch of the Kekistan Armed forces.
Do as I say or I’m telling mommy.
NO!! I WON’T!!!
Wow. Let’s strip away any notion that they aren’t anything more than a propaganda arm of the DNC, acting like a bunch of crybaby fascist.
I think the tweeting wars are childish as hell, but screw CNN, MSNBC, HUFF POST, and the rest of them.
Cannot find real news on TV anymore. I check out BBC to find out what’s going on overseas. Anyone else notice the ever growing larger groups of talking heads on CNN and Fox. Used to be one good reporter handled the entire news, but don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about the eye candy.
Oh really? The BBC?
Are we talking of the same Biggest Bullshitting Company?
I thought blackmail was illegal.
Or does that ‘illegal’ term only apply to certain people?
I hear that HanAssholeSolo is 15 years old – CNN bullied a 15-year-old and they’re fine with that. Next they’ll be taking candy out of the mouths of babies on the street.
CNN’s actions have set off a stream of CNN Meme’s, the hashtag #CNNBlackMail,Photoshops, animated .gifs, etc.
They’ve just fallen on their own swords.
Some of the backlash I’m seeing is hilarious 🙂
The #CNNblackmail compilation on U-tube is “da bomb,” as my daughter would say; especially the one titled CNN#War.
That is incorrect. You should treat where ever you heard that with the same skepticism you’d treat CNN.
The individual is in his 40s.
Got a reputable citation, or is that just speculation?
Only thing I’ve seen so far is Ken White (Popehat) tweeted that the guy isn’t 15. No other details. I respect Ken – he generally doesn’t just pull stuff out of his ear – but until I see something more I’m putting this into “reserving judgment”.
Agreed. Without better info, none of us really have a clue as to the age of the guy CNN’s strong-arming. That was my whole point, and why I asked for a reputable citation.
For what its worth, the person that knows his identity and has spoken to him multiple times says he is not 15.
Other than the unidentified Redditor, I don’t know anyone with more credibility to state what his age is. Its the best available information.
Again: citation available for that? Or are you just repeating what you heard from a friend, who heard it from a friend, who . . . .
Not trying to be a jerk – we do sometimes get commenters who post claims that they later can’t (or won’t) substantiate. It’s cleaner all around if someone posts a link so everyone can read it and decide for themselves.
That is fair, it was poorly phrased on my part. The CNN reporter who identified the redditor is Andrew Kaczynski and has been saying the users age is not 15 in several tweets this morning:
https://twitter.com/KFILE
So the 2nd half of the post makes sense, everything we KNOW about the Redditor is from Andrew Kaczynski. If someone wants to say the Redditor is 15, they would be refuting the claims of the primary source – for which I’d want more than an anonymous source.
From what we know behind our keyboards, we just rely on others for the information. The Redditor may be 15 and the Andrew Kaczynski may be lying, but if I want to consider that possibility I want to know WHO is making the initial allegation based on personal knowledge.
For not 15 its Andrew Kaczynski, for is 15, who is saying they know that personally?
So, in other words: we simply accept Kaczynski’s claims about his anonymous source as being accurate. That means it all hinges on whether one finds Kaczynski credible enough to believe sans proof. Of course, if we do accept Kaczynski’s claims that in turn means we also should accept CNN’s article as accurate – even though I understand Kaczynski’s “revised” or “clarified” his side of the story a few times since it was published. So let’s “pull that thread.” In particular, it also means we accept this quote from the article as being an accurate expression of CNN’s position and intended future behavior concerning the matter (emphasis added below): CNN is not publishing “HanA**holeSolo’s” name because he is a private citizen who has issued an extensive statement of apology, showed his remorse by saying he has taken down all his offending posts, and because he said he is not going to repeat this ugly behavior on social media again. In addition, he said his statement could serve as an example to others not to do the same. CNN reserves the right to publish his identity should any of that change. Let me translate the highlighted portions from the quote into plain language: “We’ll be watching you like a hawk from now on. Step out of line by saying something we don’t like and we’ll do everything we can to ruin your life.” For some reason, the words “coercion”, “blackmail”, and the phrase “an offer he couldn’t refuse” just popped into my head. I wonder why. Given that, plus the fact that Kaczynski has good motive to make his “anonymous” target look as bad as possible (doing so deflects attention from the fact that he’s essentially conspiring with his network to threaten the man into silencing himself because they don’t like his satire) . . . well, let’s just say I’m not exactly willing simply to take whatever Kaczynski says as the “Gospel according to ‘Saint’ Andrew” here. I’d find an independent confirmation of the Reddit author’s age far more credible. Let me be clear: I’m not calling Kaczynski a liar on… Read more »
“I’d find an independent confirmation of the Reddit author’s age far more credible.”
So would I.
At the moment its best to wait for all the information, or defer to the primary source.
I wouldn’t believe anything coming out of CNN
My son said a hour ago the age of the individual
That posted the meme was under the age of 21
This is not the first time one of our POS media
(Not news) outfits have pull shit like the
It does show how low they have gone
FWIW? “the person”?
What are you? A Commissar CLONE???
Provide proof or shut your piehole, dorkwad.
Poorly phrased on my part. The person is Andrew Kaczynski. You can still be nice about it, though.
If you knew who it was to begin with, you could have provided that evidence. I try to avoid making such assertions without legitimate backup. Your approach was to present it as a mystery, exclusive to you and you alone. Why would you expect anyone to believe that only you know who is who and what is what, when you acted that way?
Texas Nomad is obviously a progtard. So now we have at least three of Commie’s butt-budd/ fellow travelers to put up with here.
Yes, but think of the opportunities for reason and rebuttal on our part!
Every FTX needs OPFOR.
Otherwise…..boring.
I have a full time job, civic engagements, and two children under four.
I’ll put the MILES gear on from time to time but won’t make it a habit.
I don’t find progressive, retard, or butt buddy insulting. If you want to hurt my feelings try calling me French.
Doesn’t matter…..15…..40….50…..male…female….Communist News Network shouldn’t be blackmailing anyone. If the person who created that gif is an older male, he may be concerned about his job and career, and continuing to raise his family. Dox all CNN employees abd let THOSE chips fall where they may. Bet CNN won’t like it.
-Cable NAZI News- They probably -like- being called -communist-
Let’s send them cans of Kiwi for their jackboots.
Schwinehundt!
That did this on the fucking Anniversary of the Declartion of Independence for fucks sake! -That- was a fucking warning to all of us not to dare embarrass -them-.
What about -his- “freedom of the press”? Eh? Eh? You bullying shitbag -cowardly- jackbooted goatfucks!
OK folks. They fear humiliation and mockery. Get creative. But, -Lay not a finger upon a hair.-
Rhetoric them into apoplexy. Mock them into irrelevance. Meme their pride to the curb.
And don’t forget to let their sponsors know how you feel.
Are you referring to the Crackpot News Network, or the Crazypants Nutballnews Network?
Hmmm.
Yes.
I’m too busy treating you with skepticism.
A healthy practice. I’m very skeptical of myself, which is actually what brought me to your wonderful website and all the great work you do.
Nice save.
Today is the day I look at the clock in the middle of the afternoon and realize I’ve spent more than an hour today defending CNN online to strangers, and question all of my decisions in life that have lead up to this moment like a junkie in an alleyway trying to clean semen off their face.
Self-skepticism.
Dude,
From now on when I see your screen name I won’t be able to get that image of yourself you described put of my head…..
So… basically CNN is using, once again, source anonymity to claim remorse on the part of the Reddit poster of the video. Funny how convenient that is to make it difficult for anyone else to confirm what the source actually said, and the context.
It wouldn’t surprise me if what happened is that CNN contacted Reddit and threatened litigation. Which Reddit, being Reddit, can’t afford. They then repeated the process on HanAssholeSolo, the video poster, when Reddit rolled over and gave up the name.
CNN wants to make it sound as if things were a matter of convincing the video poster of the error of his ways when it might actually have been a matter of intimidation by a major network with deep pockets. Obviously CNN would be reluctant to have that become public knowledge because it would make it harder to claim the moral high ground.
Or, in other words: CNN decided they were “. . . gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
And if that’s the case, Reddit just signed it’s own death warrant.
Nobody is going to hang out on a website where the owner/admins play bitch every time someone gets a bug up their ass.
It wouldn’t surprise me if what happened is that CNN contacted Reddit and threatened litigation.
Based on what? The use of the CNN logo? “Fair use” all the way. That’s not even close. (It’s parody, commentary, political speech, etc.)
Libel /slander? Sorry, that only works if 1) CNN can show that the statement was false 2) that they were damaged by what was posted and 3) that people took the statement seriously.
For that to work one would have to believe that there is a person with CNN on their head in a fake sport is somehow truthful.
So where is the litigation of which you speak?
Do you think that Reddit lawyers don’t know what the law is? Don’t you think that Reddit would have made CNN get a warrant for the information?
It makes no sense that Reddit rolled over because of a threat of litigation.
Even winning a lawsuit costs big money, gitarcarver.
Published articles say CNN had estimated revenue of about $1.2B in 2016 – while Reddit had about $20M. Who do you think has deeper “pockets” when it comes to legal matters?
Reddit might have simply decided that “rolling over” was preferable to a Pyrrhic victory.
Sorry Hondo, I am just not buying that.
There are plenty of firms that take First Amendment cases pro bono.
Secondly, Reddit doesn’t have to defend a warrant, but CNN should have to go before a judge and show cause for a warrant.
If CNN showed up here and demanded to know the names of posters and IP data, would any one roll over and give it to them or at the very least demand a legal warrant?
I get what you are saying about legal costs, but this isn’t close to a case where anything has to be defended yet.
Um . . . pretty sure libel would be a civil suit vice criminal. Don’t think warrants apply in civil suits.
Civil suits can be filed fairly easily. Cough up the filing fee, have a lawyer (competent or otherwise) to write it up, and file it, and pay to have the other party served. Then the other party has to defend it or they lose by default.
Find a sympathetic judge, and they can issue a court order to produce something very quickly if the other party doesn’t contest them. And contesting a suit takes time and money – e.g., hire a lawyer, prep time (both lawyer and yourself/your firm), travel to/from court, expert witness fees, etc . . . . Even if the lawyer is working pro bono, the rest of that is still an out-of-pocket cost.
Again: CNN had estimated revenues last year of $1.2B; Reddit, $20M. That means CNN has roughly 6000x the resources of Reddit. If Reddit “rolled” – and neither of us knows whether they did or not – I will guarantee that factored into Reddit’s decision.
I have no idea whether or not Reddit rolled. But their doing so is in fact plausible – particularly if their TOS doesn’t promise some strong degree of subscriber privacy protection.
Indeed, if Reddit has ANY business relationship with CNN their TOS and corporate privacy policy (which users accept as a condition of signing up) may allow them to release customer information to CNN on request. See that “we may share your information with business partners” privacy caveat that many firms have in fine print on their privacy policy statements.
I am not sure you are getting the point.
It doesn’t take anything for Reddit to have told CNN “we aren’t producing anything without a court order.” It doesn’t cost them a dime.
As for “libel,” there is no cause there. Reddit is protected under USC 230 as they were not the authors of the gif / video.
At best CNN has a long shot of a case against the guy, but that’s a non-starter to begin with. (Fair use, parody, etc.)
As for the “partner” agreement, Reddit does have in their TOS that they can share personnel date with consultants and people who do work for them. That would preclude CNN.
I think it is far far far more likely that the powers that be at Reddit wanted to side with CNN against the guy who made the video and against its content and the “evil Donald Trump.” That is far more likely to me than just rolling over and handing the information over.
If Reddit rolled over to CNN, they are going to be in trouble as is CNN.
OK, here’s the scenario: 1. CNN goes to Reddit and tell them they’ve been libeled by a Reddit user. They request Reddit assist in identifying them. 2. Reddit refuses. 3. CNN then tells Reddit: OK, our lawyers will contact you. We’ll ask the judge to order you to provide the information. By the way – remember this from your own company’s Privacy Policy? We may share information (and will attempt to provide you with prior notice, to the extent legally permissible) in response to a request for information if we believe disclosure is in accordance with, or required by, any applicable law, regulation, legal process or governmental request, including, but not limited to, meeting national security or law enforcement requirements; Reddit could easily burn through several tens of thousands in total costs just to fight a court order to produce the information. Yeah, they’d win – probably. But you never know; a sympathetic judge might indeed order them to produce, which would prolong the matter (and raise the cost to Reddit). And if they have a business relationship with CNN, CNN might be able to argue that they’re merely requesting routine info pursuant to that business agreement. CNN could then sue them for breach of contract. That too would likely be BS, but Reddit could spend mucho dinero fighting that in court, too. Not to mention that if Reddit receives, say (to pick a figure) $500k in advertising/other income from CNN annually, then CNN has another form of leverage. For a company with $20M annual income, losing $500k would be substantial. My point, which you seem to miss for some reason, is that it is plausible that CNN quietly asked someone at Reddit for info about the guy – and that individual decided, for business or other reasons, to provide it. Dunno whether that was the case or not – but it is plausible. Whether that would be a good decision for Reddit, long-term, is another matter entirely. Potential legal costs are one possible reason they’d do so. If they do business with CNN, loss of future revenue is another.… Read more »
I don’t agree, GC. It seems to me all CNN would need is reasonably clear evidence that its business, and possibly the business of its advertisers, was damaged by the goofy video. That would be enough to get a case started; whether they would win or not is another matter.
Reddit has an additional vulnerability in that, like a lot of news aggregators, it skirts around the issue of copyright law. CNN may have a case for such based on Reddit’s past performance with other matters.
Reddit is based in San Francisco, and has also been shown in the past to lean somewhat left. Examples of this include the appointment and later firing of Ellen Pao in 2015, and the ban of the alt-right sub-reddit last year. They could have caved from nothing more serious than hearing the stern Mount Olympus voice of James Earl Jones announcing on the phone, “This is CNN.”
CNN has no case against Reddit because of USC 230. Reddit is not responsible for the content posted by others. (Contrast that with the Terry Bollea / Hulk Hogan sex tape which was posted by Gawker itself.)
CNN does not even have a case against the guy who made the video, but that is another issue. If CNN went after him, he would likely win and be able to get a judgement on the anti-SLAPP statutes in both CA and NY.
As for the copyright issue, first the copyright wouldn’t apply here as the video is clearly a parody and CNN doesn’t own that video. Also, Reddit has a mechanism for removing content under the DMCA.
I think that it is far more likely that Reddit rolled over because of their feelings toward Trump and supporters rather than the threat of litigation.
As I understand it, USC 230 is to protect ISPs and others from liability for stuff posted by their users. This is particularly true of defamatory material the ISP might not even be aware of. It is not a get-out-of-jail-free card when it comes to copyrighted material. An example is Kim Dotcom and his legal issues with Megaupload which had the posting of copyrighted material by users almost as a business model.
All news aggregators currently share a certain vulnerability on this issue, including Google. If CNN wanted to push that Reddit button, it might have given them additional leverage. Sorry if what I meant was unclear.
The argument that Reddit wanted to cooperate with CNN instead of being coerced is as reasonable as any. Still, it’s almost moot in a way because Andrew Kaczynski at CNN has apparently denied Reddit was in the loop at all. Since Kaczynski’s story seems to keep changing, it’s difficult to tell exactly what went on.
My own view now is that Kaczynski likely had help in tracking down HanAssholeSolo either by Reddit directly or its users who were pissed by prior trollish behavior. Kaczynski also claims to have used Facebook data to further flesh out personal detail along with an additional unspecified confirmation process. This wasn’t a casual query on the part of CNN. It was a hunt with the purpose one can reasonably assume to be intimidation.
Legal matters are one thing. Professional ethics are another. Although this might sound laughable to a majority of the TAH crew, most journalists actually do have some standards. CNN stepped on its weenie with this one. With golf shoes…
So CNN bitches about Trump endangering “journalists” yet threatens to endanger the life of someone whose only act is to mock the very same company.
What a bunch of spineless scumbags. These clowns are nothing more than pampered propegandist who sit in air conditioned offices and read their bile from teleprompters on a daily basis.
Most never go to the war zones or tough areas which might endanger their pathetic lives. I bet the old war corespondents from WWII and Korea are rolling over in their graves with all the whining that is going on in America’s news centers.
As lord Nelson or the duke of Wellington said when threatened with public exposure of an affair. “Publish and be damned”
So the message continues that bullying is wrong for anyone who isn’t leaning left. AND only those who lean left are allowed to define bullying. Because, you know. Whatever. What they say is always true for them. Or something.
Not that they will ever admit it, but their utter hypocrisy is exactly why most of us out here laugh at them, and vote for anyone but a lefty.
“CNN has no “right” to publish anyone’s identity, for any reason, but using this particular blackmail technique is especially odious.”
I believe they do have that right. Private individuals regularly become ‘newsworthy’ despite their preference to stay anonymous. Unless the subject is a minor, they have no expectation of privacy.
I don’t think its the CNN video he is worried about being associated with. He had many other things that are beyond unsavory that he had shared on Reddit he may not want to be associated with.
Is there -any- doubt, whatsoever, that this Cable NAZI Network story was a) payback and b) a bucket of steaming “shut up!” ??
How would -you- feel if some megacorp threatened to expose -you- for dissing them? To be on the receiving side of them invoking the least stable poo-flinging howler monkeys of the Left, say a nice batch of Antifa thugs, or some random lunatic?
Put yourself in that artist’s shoes for a second. If you cant see the jackboots marching in -this- hate crime, open your eyes.
They were bragging about forcing him to apologize!
If they had done this to one of the trolls -here-, I would be just as pissed off!
What about -his- rights, eh?
And ponder, if they get away with this, what will they do -next-? To -whom-?
Correction:
COWARD NAZI Network
Correction: Crapweasel Notnews Network.
There are two people with first hand knowledge of what happened. The unnamed Redditor and CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski.
Based on what Andrew Kaczynski said:
1. The Redditor posted the apology before being contacted by CNN.
2. CNN internally decided NOT to publish the Redditor’s name before contacting him.
3. When contacted, the Redditor apologized again and scrubbed his account of the information CNN used to identify him.
Unless someone reputable wants to cite an anonymous source that has an alternate timeline of events, all speculation otherwise is just guess work or storytelling.
Yeah, I guess we’re going to ignore the fact that CNN has promised to keep the person’s identity confidential as long as his behavior meets with their approval. That’s not blackmail at all, is it?
An additional party involved in this is Reddit. What might have happened is that CNN called them and demanded to know the identity of the video poster. Reddit, wanting to avoid getting caught in the crossfire, then contacted HanAssholeSolo to let him know CNN was pissed. Which prompted his mea maxima culpa apology.
Kaczynski’s own account of what transpired doesn’t pass a sniff check. There are inconsistencies.
In response to your original comment above, the Reddit poster is not a known public figure, has been charged with no crime or been named as a litigant, and apparently is not in violation of Reddit’s TOS. Just because a video goes viral doesn’t mean the anonymous creator of it automatically gives up certain legal and ethical protections. Such protections do, indeed, amount to a reasonable expectation of privacy.
If such was not the case, the news media itself would have a very difficult time using anonymous sources. Something it now does routinely to the point of overuse.
A situation somewhat similar to this is that of the Hulk Hogan versus Gawker sextape lawsuit. In making it’s determination, a jury decided that while Hulk the ‘rassler was indeed a public figure, Terry Bollea did have certain separate rights as a private individual.
Where is this “right” guaranteed to CNN?
Well, the right to a free press is enshrined in Constitution, the right to privacy is not.
I’d lean towards Meese v. Keene, 481 U.S. 465 ( 1987) as controlling interpretation since the gif intended to be part of political dialogue, the identity of the creator would be of public interest.
Many countries have a right to privacy that may apply to this situation, which the US should adopt.
Yeah, you’re dead wrong on that one, sonny.
The fourth amendment to the constitution guarantees the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, and is often argued as protecting our right to privacy. It is also referred to as the right to be left alone.
Amendment the Fourth:
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. – The US Constitution.
And, yes, under this Amendment, CNN can be held liable for their actions, as well as under other laws regarding harassment, stalking, and intimidation.
(sigh) Not exactly, Ex-PH2.
The 4th Amendment, like the 1st, is a restriction on government action. Neither Amendment directly restricts the actions of private parties. Last time I checked, all parties in the CNN/Reddit/Reddit user brouhaha are non-government entities.
Additionally, while the 4th Amendment implies the right to privacy, that right is not explicitly defined in the Constitution. A damn good argument can be made that it does not exist and was instead later created out of whole cloth by the SCOTUS. (I don’t personally buy that argument, but when properly made it’s a rather strong one.)
In any case, the precise extent of one’s privacy “rights” are neither defined by the Constitution nor, to my knowledge, has that been clarified by the Federal courts. State law appears to have varying “takes” on individual privacy rights as well.
Bottom line: in general, Constitutional guarantees of rights only restrict actions by government agencies. To my knowledge, so is Federal law concerning privacy: it restricts the acts of Federal governmental bodies and officials; it’s silent about private entities.
Unless defined as crimes under a particular state’s law, I’m pretty sure most privacy “violations” by private citizens and corporate entities end up in civil courts as tort suits.
Indeed, the plaintiff has to show ‘actual malice’ on behalf of the speaker. Even if malice is shown, ‘truth’ is an absolute defense – and I don’t think there is any dispute whether the stuff the Redditor doesn’t want to be associated with (racist, anti-semetic stuff) is his.
There are Supreme Court cases finding privacy in political speech that applies to both donations to political organizations (not okay for candidates, but okay for private organizations) and the distribution of material like pamphlets (authors don’t have to be identified). Those lines of cases applied to restricting a governmental entity from intrusion. CNN is not governmental so I don’t think it would apply.
Just a peripheral thought. One of the best things on this site is the way the comments system works. The entire purpose, I understand, is to publicize people who lie about their military service. You often get accused of violating their privacy, which is obviously bullshit.
But a few times you’ve identified and publicly commented on sock puppet accounts by the subject claiming to be a defender by their IP address. It’s hilarious and awesome when that happens, and its in the public interest to let readers of the defense know the identity of the author in considering whether the defense is valid.
Just playing devil’s advocate. I think you make the right call, and I would be concerned if anonymous free speech chilled your right to identify sock puppets. Just like you are correct to prevent proliferation of addresses & phone numbers.
Slight difference perhaps:
No one gets shot or actually “fash bashed” over stolen valor.
Also, the folks bragging their stolen valor are -hardly- anonymous. If they were anonymous, they would never come to the attention of those who object to stolen valor, eh? They don’t typically post strictly under an alias. (Some fraudsters do. Fraud is also typically a crime.)
And I do not recall sockpuppets here being required to apologize or recant in order to remain concealed. They just get exposed as their originator. (More correctly, mocked for ineptness.)
A for effort though…
So, they said “Apologize or we’ll publicly tie you to this racist comment, which will go over real well for your business reputation.” Every time they mention this guy, they talk about all the racist posts. It’s blackmail.
I’m just shocked at the amount of red team/blue team separation on this.
When CNN withdrew and apologized for botching the Scaramucci story, they did so under the threat of litigation. They deleted the offending content and apologized to Scaramucci.
I think the apology the redditor did was beautiful and I encourage everyone to read it. That type of self-reflection about how one’s behavior can negatively contribute to a polarized environment is a message I wish everyone would get.
I feel like the fired CNN employees would have some self-reflection to add to the proceedings as well about how seriously they take their responsibility. Not holding my breath there.
Regardless, if anyone enjoyed HanAssholeSolo work on memes, they should consider his work on penance and tribalism a try.
Disparity of force.
They -shut up- a dissenting voice. They didn’t -refute- him. They bullied him into -shutting up-.
They -boasted- of it.
COWARD NAZI Network.
You’re comparing CNN retracting a defamitory story they could not prove with CNN apparently strong-arming someone who created a parody they didn’t like into submission by threatening them – and you’re implying the two cases are equivalent? Really?
I think there is another issue at play here.
If CNN is willing to unmask and subject an anonymous person to ridicule after contacting them, what does that do to their anonymous sources on all other stories?
If the person does something they don’t like, will they unmask them as well?
The “separation” I see is whether you believe CNN can out the person while claiming other outings (as in gay people coming out of the closet) and revealing their sources is wrong.
CNN is being hypocritical about this which for the media in general, is not shocking.
Nomad, take a chill pill, willya? You’re starting to sound like a Commissar clone.
I don’t know who that is (except by reference), but have deep respect for what you guys do here and try to be respectful in my engagements.
#CNNBlackMail is trending on twitter with some hilarious memes. Those idiots over at CNN just keep digging that hole deeper.
The way I heard it, HanAssholeSolo is a guy named Hondo, that aimlessly travels the country in a big beautiful black staff car full of babes.
I would be no less vexed if it was Commissar they silenced.
Agreed. Debating someone is one thing. What CNN did here is IMO in effect blackmail.
Nah. I would have had a better Reddit screen-name than that. (smile)
The one and only Hondo…as himself!
Nah, too easy to “connect the dots”.
Got a couple of possibilities, but I’m going to reserve those for possible future use. (smile)
Seems Crappy Non News stepped in an even bigger shit hole….one of there “White, Blonde, Blued Female” talking heads used her platform yesterday to tell us Non Muslim White American Women to wear a Hijab in “Solidarity with Muslim Women” on freaking Independence Day shortly after a Muslim jerkoff tried to run over and kill Ohio State Students, and when his car crashed, he got out with a butcher knife to try and slaughter the students that way… CNN needs to be shut down…I wish that group Anonymous would dothat.
**Blue Eyed*** lol…Made myself so mad I forgot to proof read..
Blued Females sounds… Interesting. Pardon me while I open my gun safe and fap. Stainless works as well. Nickel plated anyone?
Just making a funny Toasty.
lol I noes 😀 And it was funny…wish I was quick to come u with funnies like you 🙂
You mean, like Zhaan from Farscape? (smile)
How did that song go?
“My girl’s a vegetable….”
” “CNN reserves the right to publish his identity should any of that change,” he continued.”
.
This is CNN.
.
They must be so proud….
4 Chan has already unloaded on CNN.
Do you have a link to that?
Just googled and found
• http://boards.4chan.org/pol/thread/132419490/cnn-is-literally-blackmailing-and-threatening-a
And these folks are calling for a “meme war”
• https://archive.4plebs.org/pol/thread/132425979/
Just googled and found…
• http://boards.4chan.org/pol/thread/132419490/cnn-is-literally-blackmailing-and-threatening-a
And these folks are calling for a “meme war”
• https://archive.4plebs.org/pol/thread/132425979/
Photon torpedoes……. Away!!!!
CNN is picking a fight with the internet. Just how well do they think that’s gonna work out?
Consequences will never be the same.
Well, you see, schoolyard bullies don’t like it when someone who thinks they’re stupid gives them a taste of their own medicine.
I have a few things to say.
Here we go:
Crapweasel Nitwit Network
Clusterfuck Numbnuts Newsies
Clankerpromoting Niggling Nincompoops
I can go on if you like.
Geez, I go over to Walmart to get some radishes and envelopes, and this is what I come back to?
CNN<, the Daniel A. Bernath of News Networks.
This is typical liberal Behavior. Freedom of speech is for us not for other people.
The video editor should just post his identity and tell CNN to pound sand!
These left wing “news” outfits are all for free speech when it comes to bashing Trump, giving a wink and a nod to all the “art” they cover (like Kathy Griffin’s severed head and the losers “performing” Shakespeare with Julius Caesar getting assassinated by an “actor” that just happens to look like Trump).
So let’s chock the Trump wrestling video up as art and free speech… Tell the snowflakes at CNN to shut-up and go to their safe space for some cookies and milk.
I think for CNN it’s all about the wrestling video, since it was a black eye for them – and shame on them for basically throwing their weight around to get the apology. I hope someone ultimately gets fired for this.
But for the person who created the video, it’s probably a lot more about the other things they posted. A funny video about Trump wrestling CNN is one thing; saying 500,000 dead Muslims is a ‘good start’ and calling people ‘niggers’ is another. They don’t want their identity revealed because that’s attention nobody wants – it hits you, your family, your friends, your job, etc. That’s why, I think, he’s not telling them to pound sand.
I get it, and if CNN focused on that, and ‘public safety’ or something, rather than the fact they were embarrassed, I’d have some sympathy for their position… but instead they made it all about themselves. What a bunch of assholes.
We’re 100% in agreement, LC.
The Reddit guy may well have some skeletons in his closet, but he’s a private figure entitled to some degree of privacy. CNN only cares who he is because one of his satires was used to make them look bad. So they’re going after him simply because they (1) want revenge, and (2) they can.
“Hans(A-hole)Solo” may have A-hole in his screen name, but it’s CNN that’s acting like one in this instance. I hope it costs them 9 figures in ad revenue and bad publicity.
I get the feeling that CNN only did that to curb further pointing and laughing, in other words, the rest of us are supposed to be frightened by their awesome resources. Yeah, screw them and Reddit.
That would be a collateral benefit from CNN’s POV. Deterrence might indeed have been one of their intended results.
Kaczynski
I bet he’s the unknown brother of the Unabomber.
Even if he’s not, maybe we could start a rumor….
Maybe that he is Ted’s unknown secret evil twin.
I don’t get why CNN cares so much about one random schmuck on the internet. I must be missing something here.
Anyway, I may just know of somebody else who might paste the CNN logo on at least a couple pictures as soon as he gets home–my unnamed source told me.
I don’t think it’s that they care. They were taken by surprise by someone who thinks they are as ridiculous as mixing mud and milk, and now find that their perception of themselves as THE authority on (whatever – name it) does not bare close examination by the public eye.
IDC SARC’s video posted above shows that a LOT of people have jumped right on the same track about CNN. What they did, by threatening whoever the original poster may be, shows how childish they truly are.
They are being told ‘if you can’t take it, then don’t dish it out’.
Is CNN toilet paper a thing yet?
This…is CNN. FLUSH!
Even Julian Assange is calling the Communist News Network a bunch of fascist assholes for this.
Did he send out a twitterpate about it?
I miss out on so much by not using social media, but my responsibilities come up first.
Yeah, it was on Daily Caller, along with tweets (is that the right word?) from dozens of other people, some of them well to left of Lenin. This is blowing up in CNN’s face.
“This is blowing up in CNN’s face.”
Good. What is that old saying? Something about “pride goeth before a fall”?
If you substitute arrogance and add mendacity – well, maybe KA-A-A-BOOM!
Han shot first.
-WINNER-!
Cgreedo News Network.
For what it’s worth, I’ve been ordered to identify my commenters, like Reddit. I just didn’t do it and let the clock run out.
If CNN or anyone else thinks that they can bully me into giving up any information about my folks, they have another think coming.
Pounding sand would be a more productive endeavor.
(Best Elvis voice): Thank You, Thank You Very Much.
Oh, my goodness me, is CNN now going after YOU?
Looks like I was right – nothing but 3rd grade schoolyard bullies. Well, if it will make you feel better, you can tell them my real name is Delilah Twozzle. That’ll keep ’em busy for a while.
Stalin would be proud of his politburo.
“real name is Delilah Twozzle” – Ha
Even better – Helen Waite.
Helen Waite and Delilah are known to hang out together.
No, not CNN – others.
Not CNN?
Aw, man!!! And I was SO looking forward to pulling a Patrick Henry/Voltaire on them. Now what do I do?
That, and sundry other reasons, is why you’ve earn more of my respect than most.
I doubt Reddit gave up his information – the most valuable info they’d have would be an IP address anyway, and then CNN would still need a court order, in all likelihood, to get the person attached to that IP at that time from the ISP.
It’s much more likely he simply gave away enough personal information in his comment history that a motivated individual was able to find him. That sort of thing happens all the time. I could be wrong, but until the methods come out, I’ll harbor no ill will towards Reddit. They took no action against the user; CNN was the one conducting a witch hunt.
Hey Jonn:
I’ll just leave this here Jonn. And many thanks.
“Someone” found this on the interwebnet thingy.
THAT is comedy gold!!!
Well, there goes my summer!
OY VEY, good one!!!
And IMHO CNN is the Daniel A. Bernath of news networks, I SAID IT FIRST!!!
**Genuflecting**
Nobody tells Polish jokes anymore… (sniff)
Q: Why wasn’t Christ born in Poland?
A: Because they couldn’t find three wise men and a virgin.
CNN is blaming the wrong person.
This is the real author of the GIF …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuLtEToDKHY
CNN is blaming the wrong person !!!!
I hope this catches up with them in ways they cannot overcome.
Uh-Uh. Yeah. Sure, I believe it.
Spew Alert!
The only thing missing from that “realistic” video is the enema bag and a five gallon bucket in a corner that he craps in.
Does he live in his Mommy’s basement or garage?
CNN can’t get Trump to do what they want, so they’re going to come after the rest of us, apparently.
They’re acting like the proverbial spoiled rich kid threatening to take his ball and go straight home.
Yeah, well, they can just έλα να με πάρεις!
If they don’t like the reaction that followed their — oh, never mind. I forgot how hard it is to pound something into butthurt arrogance.
CNN has gone full Chernobyl….
Has no one here addressed the Elephant in the room?
We now live in a country where people live in fear of being identified as a supporter of a sitting president because of the fact they may be targeted for physical violence by the loons on the left.
Yep, the leftists want to beat and pummel those that dissent with them JUST LIKE Hitler’s SA “Brown Shirts” did with those who dissented with the Nazi agenda.
With a bit of prep, and a bit of plan, that encounter can become hideously expensive.
For them.
Operation Porcupine
Make sure you carry a canister of bear spray with you.
I live in a CC State, am licensed, and I am rarely without either my M1911 or .357 Magnum.
Bear spray is a broadcast repellent, as is a firehose.
An ABC Dry Chemical fire extinguisher is good for that too, the chemical media used in them is VERY irritating to the eyes, throat and nostrils. What’s better is that NO LEO is going to get on your case for having one handy in your car.
I cast my vote strictly based on who would be the best First Lady.
I started supporting her husband after it became apparent that I might be able to exercise my Second Amendment rights if I do it publicly.
Can’t find hoards of people marching into traffic these days, nobody burning down shit, no one getting dragged from cars, nuttin.
Drepressed…but hopeful.
Well I wonder if CNN is going to go after everybody now at last found there is around
178 good videos bashing CNN and around 2000 plus memes
It looks to me it may have backfired on them
Is there a link to those videos and memes?
Facebook they are popping up all over the place now
Even my leftist friends have had it with these morons
I’m going to meme harvest, this evening my son has been at it all day. he said that
Facebook is taking them down as soon as they come up
Is it me or is this getting old already
FYI
I made the Video
BHWHAHAHAHA !!!!!!!
Pass it on
FUCK CNN
No, ME, I DID IT!!!
And I still say that IMHO CNN is the Daniel A. Bernath of news networks.
Roger ^^^^^^
Behavior may be criminal.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/07/05/did-cnn-commit-crime-cruz-suggests-warning-to-reddit-user-poses-legal-problem.html
Here’s a copy of what Julian Assange posted:
Julian Assange @JulianAssange
CNN just committed a crime violating § 135.60 of the New York criminal code “coercion” http://codes.findlaw.com/ny/penal-law/pen-sect-135-60.html …https://twitter.com/KFILE/status/841825706720038913 … pic.twitter.com/a7HAdMQQDV
9:46 PM – 4 Jul 2017
The text itself was on his Twitter post.
The evolution of this from a butthurt response to a fierce backlash toward CNN by LO-O-O-OTS of people, including a lot on the left, is growing and growing.
What was that curse? May you live in interesting times?
Well, this is interesting. “Andrew Seaman, the Society of Professional Journalists’ ethics committee chairperson, wrote in a blog post that CNN’s decision was unusual, but not blackmail”. Number 1, who knew that there was such a thing as a ‘Society of Professional Journalists” and that they had an ethics committee?
And, in the considered opinion of Andrew Semen, er, Seamen, damn, Seaman, what the Crappy Nazi Network did was “not blackmail”.
Then, there is this, “Even so, CNN executives feel like the “reserve the right” line in the HanAssholeSolo story has been hijacked by their enemies acting in bad faith. And they feel that, if anything, they showed journalistic restraint by not publishing the user’s identity. (Kaczynski tweeted late Tuesday that HanAssholeSolo had called him and agreed that he was not threatened)”. And, tke Kaczynski’s word for it, the Reddit user didn’t feel threatened.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/stevenperlberg/cnn-is-standing-by-its-controversial-reddit-user-story?utm_term=.xtjWwApyn#.fexAZOzbm
Andrew must be quivering in his Converse Allstars over this.
Ethics ONLY apply to certain people but NOT to those who will lie to get what they want?
What. A. Quisling.
The Society of Professional Journalists (aka SPJ or Sigma Delta Chi) has been around since 1909. Its credibility was once regarded in the newspaper business at about the same level as the AP Style Guide, or the trade publication Editor & Publisher.
These days, it tends to be mostly ignored because journalists are more focused on personal brand building than ethical standards. HERE’S A LINK to the one-page SPJ Code of Ethics. It’s interesting to read it and compare it to the current actual behavior of the news media.
Andrew Seaman is apparently a fairly young reporter who works for Reuters, which itself has had a reputation as a fairly good crew. Personally, I wouldn’t jump to the option of throwing Seaman under the bus because Andrew Kaczynski at CNN is a dickweed.
Well, Semen is wrong, it was, and is, blackmail. They can try to dress it any way they want, it’s still blackmail.
I mostly agree with you, but Seaman actually had a point. What CNN did, in the strict legal sense, was not blackmail because there was no money or goods exchanged. He caught a lot of flak in the SPJ blog comments for playing semantic games, but was somewhat correct in a certain sense. The rest of his blog post was negative about what Kaczynski and CNN did.
It seems to me there’s often a popular hyperbole to have all journalists put to death. Hanging from lamp posts was suggested in the comments above. Another view recognizes that sometimes without people like the AP’s Joe Galloway, the stories of people like Col. Hal Moore in the Ia Drang won’t get told.
According to this story, CNN used coercion and harassment, as well as threats against the .gif creator.
The fact that they went to a great deal of trouble to find out who he was for the purpose of intimidating him amounts to cyberstalking the .gif creator. Bernutsky has tried to use that on several of us. It didn’t work.
I would be less inclined to call it blackmailing and more inclined to call it a form of extortion on CNN’s part.
However, they’ve had so much backlash over what they did that it becomes a moot point in my view.
There is no sense to making perceived threats toward people as CNN did, and as I see here, just because people disagree with you or make it clear that they think you are idiots.
It IS, however, very necessary to make it clear that you disagree, for whatever reasons you state, and stand up to them.
There is a huge difference between rebuttal and smack talk about lampposts used as gibbets.
Well, now that day’s end is here and I ran my errands and came home around 11:30 this AM, I thought at least one person besides me would be able to see what is really coming out of this kerfuffle. I guess I have to explain it, since nobody got it except me. Again, I refer to Newton’s Laws of Motion, in this case the 3rd one. A) CNN has been houding and pounding on Trump for months now, and he’s still around. B) None of their pets could get rid of him, either, no matter how heinously they acted. Griffith w/blood-dripping head, Caesar assassinated in the park, etc., etc., etc. C) O’Donnell/Madcow/et al., gagging, upchucking and weeping over the election results after “SURPRISE!”. D) Threats to move out of country that did not take place. E) Ignoring the facts in front of them, trying to somehow get rid of Trump by any means possible, including assassination and invoking laws that don’t apply. F) Bullying a duly-elected official endlessly and complaining about his refusal to knuckle under to their crap. G) This overreaction to a silly video that hurt their feelings, which they brought on themselves. (sniffle) (double sniffle) Which resulted in: 1) Bullying or attempting to bully the unknown individual who made the video, and possibly lying about intimidating and harassing him. 2) Threatening same individual with retribution for exercising his 1st Amendment right of free speech and free press. 3) A widespread, virulently angry backlash from both sides of the political fence that, unless I find otherwise, took the morons at CNN by complete surprise. If they do not lose sponsors because of this, never mind more and more of their audience, it will be a very mild surprise. CNN has made its bed. They pissed in their own bowl of popcorn. They can just deal with it. I would say ‘like grownups’, but they aren’t grownups. They are the 3rd and 4th grade bullies that I saw picking on kids half their size because they thought no one was watching. Unfortunately for the cnners, they forgot that… Read more »
The best way to deal with CNN is for Congress to pass “A La Carte” legislation and cut CNN’s money off at the knees. The minuscule audience they have can not support them and if allowed the right to choose the overwhelming majority of tv viewers will not pick CNN, MSNBC etc as part of their cable package.
Since a lot of people are getting their ‘cable’ stuff from online streaming, the ‘a la carte’ issue is moot. If I want to pay for a subscription to HBO or Netflix, and no other movie channel, I can do so individually. I don’t have to pay my internet provider for it. I’d be paying either of those two companies a direct subscription fee.
Almost everything is available online, either for nothing or for a direct subscription fee.
If I get one of those internet-ready TVs that are available now (and quite cheap, too), I avoid the necessity of paying a monthly fee for anything other than internet service. For example, I can get the French news in French online through France24 at no cost. Ditto the local daily/evening news from five different stations, at no cost, and/or get myself an online subscription to HBO to watch “Game of Thrones” if I really want to do that. (Well, a nonstop Sean Bean fest is worth it, if I can get ‘Sharp’s Rifles’, too.)
That direct subscription fee option is more likely to damage the income of an entity like CNN or MSNBC than anything else. No subscribers, no viewers – eventually, with lost ratings, no sponsors. I do see that coming, and there are a few companies now that do offer the ‘a la carte’ option to their subscribers.
I think this is inevitable, anyway. It’s a kind of return to what TV used to be, when there were only three networks and you chose which shows you wanted to watch. The only bill you had was the electric bill. There was no monthly fee, because advertisers paid for ad space.
Things seem to be changing all over again. While the future is hard to predict in some ways, there seems to be this retro trend in it.
Next.
Way to make yourself even more hated, CNN. Apparently the maker of the GIF is a 15yr old kid who is well known on Reddit for making stuff like this with no apparent ideological bent. He is a typical kid who likes to goose everyone.
One piece of advice for the pussies at CNN:
MAN THE FUCK UP