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Should Journalists Ignore Some Leaked Emails? (backchannel.com)
Tuesday Lawrence Lessig issued a comment about a leaked email which showed complaints about his smugness from a Clinton campaign staffer: "I'm a big believer in leaks for the public interest... But I can't for the life of me see the public good in a leak like this..." Now mirandakatz shares an article by tech journalist Steven Levy arguing that instead, "The press is mining the dirty work of Russian hackers for gossipy inside-beltway accounts."
This is perfectly legal. As long as journalists don't do the stealing themselves, they are solidly allowed to publish what thieves expose, especially if, as in this case, the contents are available to all... [But] is the exploitation of stolen personal emails a moral act? By diving into this corpus to expose anything unseemly or embarrassing, reporters may be, however unwillingly, participating in a scheme by a foreign power to mess with our election...
As a 'good' journalist, I know that I'm supposed to cheer on the availability of information... But it's difficult to argue that these discoveries were unearthed by reporters for the sake of public good...
He's sympathetic to the idea that minutiae from campaigns lets journalists "examine the failings of 'business as usual'," but "it would be so much nicer if some disgruntled colleague of Podesta's was providing information to reporters, rather than Vladimir Putin using them as stooges to undermine our democracy." He ultimately asks, "is it moral to amplify anything that's already exposed on the internet, even if the exposers are lawbreakers with an agenda?"
As a 'good' journalist, I know that I'm supposed to cheer on the availability of information... But it's difficult to argue that these discoveries were unearthed by reporters for the sake of public good...
He's sympathetic to the idea that minutiae from campaigns lets journalists "examine the failings of 'business as usual'," but "it would be so much nicer if some disgruntled colleague of Podesta's was providing information to reporters, rather than Vladimir Putin using them as stooges to undermine our democracy." He ultimately asks, "is it moral to amplify anything that's already exposed on the internet, even if the exposers are lawbreakers with an agenda?"
Your whole post is a lame-ass justification for criminality, chaos, and vigilante justice. Congratulations, you are a terrible human being.
Tell me, why have these e-mail releases only come at the expense of the Democrats? Do you believe that only the Dems conduct shady or embarrassing business? Are you aware of exactly how many Republican operatives have gone to jail in the last 20 years? Or is it simply that the current situation validates your political position and you aren't interested in justice?
Is it a coincidence that these e-mail releases come during a political campaign? Or is it a coincidence that Donald Trump keeps making these bizarre admiring comments about Vladimir Putin? I know, it's a complete coincidence that Russia and the West don't get along so well these days, and Russia sees a chance to perhaps get a more friendly President elected. Which dovetails nicely with the elaborate and persistent Russian propaganda campaigns that perpetually justify Russia's actions in the Ukraine, the Baltics, Georgia and the 'Stans. Also Russia didn't kill that opposition leader right next to the Kremlin, nor did they assassinate that Russian turncoat agent in London with radioactive polonium. Nope, none of those things, and many others besides, happened!
You said it yourself, "cop(s) use shady characters as informers". You know, police officers, whose job it is to catch criminals. Cops who have oversight and a criminal code to answer to and guide their actions. Even though the police have an image problem these days, I'll take a regulated police officer over a vigilante (or simply paid mercenary) hacker any day.
We know little about the motivations of these hackers, but logic suggests they have an agenda. And you've fallen for their agenda. Congratulations, an anonymous hacker is pulling your strings for reasons you vigorously deny! You are the perfect patsy.