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News Corp/NDS Forces DocumentCloud To Take Down Emails

Posted by timothy on from the we-don't-like-that-stuff dept.

Presto Vivace writes "When the Australian Financial Review published its series on News Corp's pay TV pirates, it asked DocumentCloud to host the internal NDS emails which documented the allegations. Last week DocumentCloud was forced to take down the emails when NDS threatened legal action and the Financial Review declined to indemnify it. The Financial Review reports that: 'DocumentCloud is a free service operated by journalism organization Investigative Reporters and Editors at the University of Missouri. It aims to enable newspapers, websites and broadcasters to host documents supporting investigative reports. The website uses open source – or community developed – technologies to scan and index information, allowing users to quickly search hundreds or even thousands of pages for references to people, places, dates,company names and key terms.' The NDS emails are available as zip files at the Financial Review's server. Because DocumentCloud uses open source software, 'any news organization — or anyone else — is free to use DocumentCloud's code to build its own hosted version, on its own secure server, with many of the same capabilities, Aron Pilhofer, DocumentCloud's co-founder told me. Pilhofer, who is also interactive news editor at The New York Times, said that provides a little bit of breathing room for news organizations whose lawyers may be wary of exposing newspapers to risk through partnering with a third-party.'"

34 comments

  1. Where do I seed? by Weezul · · Score: 3

    Torrent? Where do I seed?

    --
    The Christian religion has been and still is the principal enemy of moral progress in the world. -- Bertrand Russell
    1. Re:Where do I seed? by andydread · · Score: 1

      TPBFTW

    2. Re:Where do I seed? by tqk · · Score: 1

      TPBFTW

      Queuing Streisand Effect, in 3, 2, 1 ...

      --
      "Tongue tied and twisted, just an Earth bound misfit ..." -- Pink Floyd.
  2. RICO? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Considering all the criminal activity that News Corp has been caught being involved in, how impossible would it be to charge them with Racketeering under the RICO Act?

    1. Re:RICO? by Presto+Vivace · · Score: 4, Insightful

      or at least the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

    2. Re:RICO? by Pf0tzenpfritz · · Score: 3, Interesting
      From TLA:

      A four-year investigation by The Australian Financial Review has revealed a global trail of corporate dirty tricks directed against competitors by a secretive group of former policemen and intelligence officers within News Corp known as Operational Security.

      If that's not a conspiracy, what else is?

      --
      Oh, the beautiful gloss of greality!
    3. Re:RICO? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If that's not a conspiracy, what else is?

      Good, righteous capitalism.

    4. Re:RICO? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      From TLA:

      A four-year investigation by The Australian Financial Review has revealed a global trail of corporate dirty tricks directed against competitors by a secretive group of former policemen and intelligence officers within News Corp known as Operational Security.

      If that's not a conspiracy, what else is?

      If you read down they mention the behavior (which in part occurred in 1998) is scummy but wasn't actually illegal.

      So... Scummy Corp does scummy things and gets away with it, news at 11.

    5. Re:RICO? by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      This of course makes you wonder what actually Law and Regulatory agencies were doing in they time, apparently the same thing they are doing now, nothing.

      Murdoch created his own private psychopathic police force, which apparently other government legal agencies are leaving alone in hopes of getting a high paying job or just for collecting straight up bribes.

      It is surprising that some foreign intelligence agencies haven't become so offended by the Murdoch family action's, that they haven't ensured an untimely demise for the lot of them.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
  3. More concerning by Kalriath · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Does anyone else find it kind of concerning that the way this summary reads, the fact that DocumentCloud is Open Source somehow makes it more liable and impossible to indemnify than someone using proprietary software to do the same thing? The original article doesn't do that, so why is Slashdot?

    More concerning again is that Fairfax Media is now essentially outsourcing their liability for publishing documents that they don't feel like defending themselves over - asking DocumentCloud to host them and then when DocumentCloud gets into legal trouble washing their hands of it? Wankers.

    --
    For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
    1. Re:More concerning by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      FOSS is jesus

    2. Re:More concerning by sapphire+wyvern · · Score: 2

      I didn't get the impression from the summary that DocumentCloud was any harder to indemnify due to its FOSS nature. Rather, they seemed to be lauding the fact that any entity willing to bear the legal risk (created by Murdoch) could set up a new instance easily.

      I agree with you that Fairfax's behaviour is a concern. If they're going to publish stories based on these documents, they should be prepared to host them, and just delegate their risk to a third party with no recompense.

    3. Re:More concerning by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Did you miss they are hosting them, as zip files? What they aren't hosting is the big hairy document indexing and searching system, but any legal liability that applies to DocumentCloud would also apply to them. They're not "outsourcing liability", they're just not jumping in for a double-dip of potential legal expense and settlement liability.

    4. Re:More concerning by sapphire+wyvern · · Score: 1

      I did miss that! Thanks for the correction.

    5. Re:More concerning by Kalriath · · Score: 1

      No, you didn't miss that, as it's wrong. Reading the article , it makes clear that DocumentCloud was hosting the actual emails (not just the indexing), and that many of them are still available at AFR's website (not all).

      --
      For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
  4. Wikileaks by MichaelSmith · · Score: 1

    Sounds like posting to wikileaks would have kept the information in public view for longer.

    --
    http://michaelsmith.id.au
    1. Re:Wikileaks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's kind of weird that they didn't go to Wikileaks. This sort of thing is exactly why Wikileaks was formed.

    2. Re:Wikileaks by mSparks43 · · Score: 1

      I'm generally of the opinion that the "PirateTV" story is something of a fabrication, only historic links I've found referring to the parties involved are:

      http://www.hackmeeting.org/hackit98/LYNX/webzine.htm#thoic

      and

      http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1879859.stm

      That last link screams scapegoating and reeks of the complete lack of understanding of technology so typical of the Beeb back in 02. The first suggests thoic was more or less a non enitity.

      It's kind of weird that they didn't go to Wikileaks.

      Therefore it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they didn't go to wikileaks precisely because they wanted to take it down before anyone took a closer look. As much as I hate newscorp, they really aren't any different than the beeb - and this all just sounds like an effort by the Crown to turn the current duopoly between Sky and the BBC into a monopoly consisting solely of the Beeb, which would be an absolute disaster.

  5. Inside the Evil Empire. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What's it like where money matters above all else, nepotism abounds and professional ambition transcends all known ethics? Let me tell you.

    I've been an employee of NewsCorp for the last 4-5 years. I stay with them because they offer the best compensation in my field, security in this recession, and yet we have our differences. On many occasions I've defended my employer and media outlets, mainly Fox News by saying, "I may not agree with the narrative but no one can say it's not a commercial success." Each business unit only worries about the bottom line, and not a soul has the well being of the U.S. and it's future in mind. Now it's starting to bother me.

    Rupert Murdoch may be more feared by his employees than Steve Jobs ever was. Instead of a razor sharp focus on perfection and simplicity, Murdoch works his media holdings like a venture capitalist, his political influence like the dirtiest lobbyist, and just doesn't seem to 'get' the web and social media. This old-fashioned media tycoon acquires, prunes and drives companies and their talent to exact his will.

    The pressure on his people shows. Employing very creative accounting (tax havens), phone hacking and leveraging threats of media smear campaigns, NewsCorp employees cross ethical boundaries more often than Rupert crosses time zones. It's no secret he enjoys the power he wields. On the editorial conferences he attends, on the way he treats political enemies, competitors and anyone else that dare disagree, it is striking from the inside.

    Rupert has always shown his considerable ego, from the (good for all of the British press) breaking of the print unions in Wapping to his new rambling outlet, Twitter (@rupertmurdoch) . This 80 year old man tweets solo from his iPad, attacking Google, President Obama and others, all the while disregarding his plethora of Lawyers, PR entourage and social media experts. But that's the thing. He doesn't care. He's an old, angry, ballsy billionaire with mostly incompetent, disappointing children who is set on nothing more than doing what he and he alone wants for the rest of his life. I would say his tireless work has earned him that privilege if his empire wasn't pro-SOPA, against LGBT and other rights, constantly polarizing America and driving the Republican Party farther right than I ever predicted. The national dialogue has turned into a screaming match and I know who to thank.

    With Roger Ailes as his Dick Cheney, Murdoch has incredible control over conservatives. 'Fair and Balanced' stopped being a funny joke years ago. I never thought I would live in a country where science was laughed at on the news, calling the sitting President a Communist was acceptable, or where a GOP candidate has no chance without the backing of Ailes, Czar of Fox News.

    This might be the future, where only money matters, your voicemail isn't safe and anything can happen when dirty police officers get their take. It might be, but I don't like it.

    1. Re:Inside the Evil Empire. by toriver · · Score: 1

      Drug lords in South America also have "commercial success". Just saying.

    2. Re:Inside the Evil Empire. by __aaltlg1547 · · Score: 1

      If you work in an organization that continues to behave in an indefensible, sometimes illegal way and do nothing to stop the evil behavior you are part of the problem.

      You should either quit or collect enough evidence to send some of you co-wankers to prison.

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    my roomate's step-mother got paid $18996 the previous week. she is working on the internet and bought a $534800 condo. All she did was get blessed and put to use the guide reported on this website (Click on menu Home more information) http://goo.gl/tv15a

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  8. Tell us about EXXON-MOBIL tqk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    U weren't downmodded & poster who points ur bs was -> http://news.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2772023&cid=39608239

    Question: How many sock puppet alternate accounts do you use on slashdot tqk?

    (You know, because we certainly do: The kinds of alternaet registered user accounts used to mod yourself up with, and, to downmod others who point out your lies to hide those times they catch you do, as is shown in the link above, by your downmodding them using different registered accounts that you use to do that? It's rather obvious you do from that link above).

    1. Re:Tell us about EXXON-MOBIL tqk by tqk · · Score: 1

      You know, because we certainly do: The kinds of alternaet registered user accounts used to mod yourself up with, and, to downmod others who point out your lies to hide those times they catch you do, as is shown in the link above, by your downmodding them using different registered accounts that you use to do that? It's rather obvious you do from that link above).

      Wow. Vitreol and paranoia all in one post. No, I don't use multiple /. accounts, and when I do mod down, it's for stupid non-consequential one-liner (or one-worder; "^This!") posts.

      I can't control what moderators that agree with me think, any more than you can. If you're convinced there's some vast /. conspiracy to manufacture the truth, why do you even bother to come here? It must be a rigged game, so you're never going to "win" no matter what you do.

      Take a valium. You're way over the top here.

      --
      "Tongue tied and twisted, just an Earth bound misfit ..." -- Pink Floyd.
  9. Answer the question on EXXON MOBIL tqk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    Don't avoid it just because you screwed up, ok? Here's your words initially stated, requoted now for your and others' reference:

    "BTW, ca. 80% of the web runs on FLOSS. ExxonMobil uses it, FFS!" - by tqk (413719) on Saturday April 07, @02:59PM (#39608009) FROM ->

    FFS then? See this that tosses you right into the bin!

    EXXON-MOBIL: Runs their domain on Windows -> http://uptime.netcraft.com/up/graph?site=www.exxonmobil.com

    (Funny you don't appear to be correct there, tqk, lol!)

    ---

    * After you answer to that, kindly explain your not being downmodded for posting erroneous crap, & the person who caught you in it being downmodded unjustifiably, here -> http://news.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2772023&cid=39608239

    (Either moderators here are STUPID, or, you use alternate registered accounts/sockpuppets to mod others down with when you fuck up... no questions asked!)

    Don't even *TRY* tell us that doesn't go on here either - ask tomhudson (who also posts are "Barbara, not Barbie" doing that trick modding down his/her opponents, and modding herself upwards (her & her pals do it all the time here)).

    1. Re:Answer the question on EXXON MOBIL tqk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      APK, this is why nobody takes you seriously and your name is a joke. You're delusional. Nevermind that your hosts file advice is actually decent advice: the way you say it and everything else you do it makes you sound like you're probably posting from a terminal in an insane asylum somewhere.

    2. Re:Answer the question on EXXON MOBIL tqk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He's not delusional about u avoiding a question -> http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2773307&cid=39619941 and now you're trolling him by ac replies too out of embarassment tqk?

      Shame on you: After all, who's going to defend you after your blatant screwup on EXXON-MOBIL there? Nobody.

    3. Re:Answer the question on EXXON MOBIL tqk by tqk · · Score: 1

      As suggested before, TAKE A VALIUM, Jebus! Yes they use Windows as well. Show me one big outfit that doesn't these days. I had to use it when I worked there to get at the commercial Unix and now FLOSS boxes they're rolling out in their datacenters that I was working on. They use a lot of commercial software. They're huge.

      I don't want to talk to you anymore. If you don't want to believe anything I write, just don't and go on your way! I don't have any other accounts and I'm not part of any presumed cabal out to mod you into oblivion. I think the stuff you write does that job much better than anything I could even contemplate.

      Your paranoia is your worst enemy. Get a grip on yourself.

      --
      "Tongue tied and twisted, just an Earth bound misfit ..." -- Pink Floyd.
  10. Your /. peers disagree with you by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "APK, this is why nobody takes you seriously and your name is a joke." - by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 09, @01:45PM (#39620793)

    See subject: 160++ upmods of mine put what u state away easily:

    ---

    Roughly 160++ of them & I post as AC (hard to get even +1, as /. hides our posts & we "AC"'s start @ ZERO/0 points, unlike registered "lusers", lol!):

    +5 'modded up' posts by "yours truly" (5):

    HOSTS & BGP:2010 -> http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1901826&cid=34490450
    FIREFOX IN DANGER: 2011 -> http://news.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2559120&cid=38268580
    TESLA:2010 -> http://science.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1872982&cid=34264190
    TESLA:2010 -> http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1806946&cid=33777976
    NVIDIA 2d:2006 -> http://hardware.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=175774&cid=14610147

    ----

    +4 'modded up' posts by "yours truly" (4):

    APK SECURITY GUIDE:2005 -> http://developers.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=167071&cid=13931198
    INFO. SYSTEMS WORK:2005 -> http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=161862&cid=13531817
    WINDOWS @ NASDAQ 7++ YRS. NOW:2009 -> http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1290967&cid=28571315
    CARMACK'S ARMADILLO AEROSPACE:2005 -> http://science.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=158310&cid=13263898

    ----

    +3 'modded up' posts by "yours truly" (6):

    APK MICROSOFT INTERVIEW:2005 -> http://developers.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=155172&cid=13007974
    APK MS SYMBOLIC DIRECTORY LINKS:2005 -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=166850&cid=13914137
    APK FOOLS IE7 INSTALL IN BETA HOW TO:2006 -> http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=175857&cid=14615222
    PROOFS ON OPERA SPEED & SECURITY:2007 -> http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=273931&threshold=1&commentsort=0&mode=thread&cid=20291847
    HBGary POST in Fake Names On Social Networks, a Fake Problem:2011 -> http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2375110&cid=37056304
    APK RC STOP ROOKIT TECHNIQUES:2008 -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1021873&cid=25681261

    ----

    +2 'modded up' posts by "yours truly" (12):

    HOW DLL API CALL LOADS WORK:2008 -> http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1001489&cid=25441395
    APK TRICK TO STOP A MALWARE:2008 -> http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1010923&cid=25549351
    DOING SHAREWARE 1995-2004:2007 -> http://it.slashdot.

  11. Thank u 4 admitting ur mistake tqk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why didn't u state that in the 1st place? Answer = U were trolling's why!

    U got caught with ur pants down doing it here:

    "BTW, ca. 80% of the web runs on FLOSS. ExxonMobil uses it, FFS!" - by tqk (413719) on Saturday April 07, @02:59PM (#39608009) FROM -> http://news.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2772023&cid=39608009

    FFS then? See this that tosses you right into the bin:

    EXXON-MOBIL: Runs their domain on Windows -> http://uptime.netcraft.com/up/graph?site=www.exxonmobil.com

    Making a large mistake - Clue:

    Doing "1/2 truths" & 1 sided trolling's vs. facts like I used never works...

    * As to what I did in response since I was not only being trolled, but also downmodded unjustly?

    Well - Confronting those that do it seems the ONLY way to get yourself, and others around here, to admit fault, is to practically have to "pry it" out of you with a crowbar... the crowbar of embarassment, unfortunately. I don't LIKE doing it, but it's the only weapon vs. it. Period.

    ---

    "As suggested before, TAKE A VALIUM, Jebus!" - by tqk (413719) on Monday April 09, @02:32PM (#39621279)

    Tell u what - when you get the following items to your name/credit? Perhaps THEN I'd take your PROFESSIONAL (not) "psychiatric advisement":

    ---

    1.) A license to practice the psychiatric sciences

    2.) A PhD saying you are qualified to offer psychiatric services or diagnosis/prognosis as you have.

    3.) A formally administered examination given in a professional psychiatric environs.

    * SO, do you have those items to your name/credit? If so, prove it, but... I suspect STRONGLY (hell, I know it) YOU DO NOT!

    (That's libeling me otherwise if you do not... SOME might call THAT, ahem, insane because you're not considering consequences of your actions... then again, trolling by AC shows just how "credible" you are! I.E.-> You're not!)

    ---

    Unqualified & yet dispensing "meds" as you are, as well as psychiatric advisement? Please... lol!
    APK

    P.S.=> At least you admit fault, that's better than MOST of the trolls around here... apk"As suggested before, TAKE A VALIUM, Jebus!"

  12. tqk downmodded u 2 try "bury" u burying him apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Too bad we still see it here http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2773307&cid=39619941

  13. Again tqk tries 2 bury U burying him apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    By downmodding a post u showed his errors in http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2773307&cid=39619941 which tqk already admitted to being wrong in here http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2773307&cid=39621451

  14. Ur downmods don't hide these tqk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2773307&cid=39617659 and http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2773307&cid=39619941