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Ex-Ashley Madison CTO Threatens Libel Suit Against Journalist

Posted by Soulskill on from the somebody-doesn't-know-about-the-streisand-effect dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Security reporter Brian Krebs, who has been instrumental in breaking news about the Ashley Madison hack, is now being threatened by the website's former CTO with a libel suit. Contained in the leaked data was a series of emails from the ex-CTO, Raja Bhatia, to the CEO of Ashley Madison's parent company. In the emails, Bhatia noted a security hole in a competing website, saying that he downloaded their user database and was capable of modifying and exposing it. After reporting on these emails, Krebs received a letter from Bhatia's lawyer (PDF) saying the post was libelous and defamatory. They demanded a retraction, which Krebs is thus far unwilling to do.

4 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. It's mind blowing by ZorinLynx · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's been twelve years since it was coined, and yet it's unbelievable that people STILL haven't heard of the Streisand effect.

    Trying to shut someone up in this age just makes the information spread much faster and wider. I wouldn't have heard of this at all if the lawsuit wasn't threatened.

  2. PLEASE, litigate this! by jcr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I can't wait to see those AM twats get cross-examined.

    -jcr

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  3. Re:Streisand Effect is in effect by vux984 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Seriously, it's only a half-step above running a brothel.

    A brothel is at least an honest business.

  4. Wealthy and their expectations.. by Rick+in+China · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This dude works in tech - a CTO, well, assuming he's actually involved in tech, not some 'business' CTO - and thinks that this is a good idea. He's basically murdering his own reference for the future, nobody wants a bunk ass CTO who doesn't understand the internet or world at large, and has his name smeared all over (yada yada Streisand effect yada yada) but the bottom line is this: if you do shady shit, and get busted, there is to be no expectation of silence by anyone...once it's out, it explodes and that's fucking it. Touching it just makes the explosion bigger. "Lawyers", yeh I'm sure his lawyers are loving it - when they offer advice and "yeh, lets file a suit!" - they're just securing their own monetary gain...because obviously this whole thing blowing up just creates a larger vortex to funnel this fucktards money into.