A Hacker 'Hero' Has Been Banned From Cyber Conferences After Decades Of Inappropriate Behavior (buzzfeed.com)

Several readers share a report: John Draper, a prankster hero to an early generation of hackers, used his status at cybersecurity conferences to arrange private meetings with teenage fans and a reporter where he touched them inappropriately, multiple men have told BuzzFeed News. The allegations are the latest in what has become in recent weeks an explosion of sexual misconduct reports that have roiled a seemingly endless list of industries, from Hollywood to the news media to the Alabama Senate race. As in many of those other cases, Draper's actions were well known to at least a core of people who had regular contact with him. Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak told BuzzFeed News that Steve Jobs once told him that Draper, an early associate, once asked Jobs to sit on Draper's back in the 1970s, an offer Wozniak said Jobs declined as being "out of the ordinary." But in the hacking world, where unusual behavior is accepted and often celebrated, there were few official steps taken to prevent Draper's overtures to unsuspecting fans. Volunteers who worked the annual DEF CON hacking conventions in Las Vegas recalled that one of their responsibilities was to separate Draper from his teenage followers. Draper's behavior drew attention at other conventions as well, where he was a frequent presence. Brandon Creighton, a long-standing volunteer at hacker conferences who was familiar with rumors about Draper, recalled escorting him from a private party after ToorCon in San Diego in 2007, though exactly why was not clear.

Comments

Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here?

[OldMugwump]

I don't know exactly what Draper (Cap'n Crunch) is accused of, but I wonder if we (as a society) are crossing into witch hunt territory. Rape is rape, and rapists belong in jail. Flirting, making passes, and asking permission - when the askee is free to say 'no' - isn't criminal. Even if it's kinky.

Re:Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here?

[93 Escort Wagon]

Some people still don't get it...

The problem is - when the person "asking" is in a position of authority, the person being asked doesn't always "feel free to say 'no'". And often the person "asking" uses their position to imply there will be negative repercussions if the other person does say no, or (as appears to be the case with Roy Moore) to use their position to bully the other person into silence.

Re:Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here?

[chispito]

Flirting, making passes, and asking permission - when the askee is free to say 'no' - isn't criminal. Even if it's kinky.

The summary and TFA make it clear these actions were directed toward teenagers and that he would offer to take them somewhere private for "'energy' exercises or stretches."

It's not a witch hunt if event organizers for years have been trying to prevent unsuspecting people from falling into his traps.

Re:Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here?

[whyyisthissohard]

Some people still don't get it...

Literally EVERYONE understands your opinion, your motivated guess at reality, that you parade as an "argument". What do you propose? Endless witch hunts, or that all males finally be banned from any position of authority over anyone?

And often the person "asking" uses their position

often

How do you know? Because this is the narrative that is repeated again and again? Or do you have some kind of running account from surveillance videos that you keep? Because otherwise you're basing your view of reality on hearsay. Here is something a lot of left-leaning people do not want to understand, something they "still don't get": weak people lose in this world and there is nothing you can do to change it. Even if you are a victim, you can not place all the blame on the perpetrator of the crime. You have to look in yourself and find a fault and bolster it against future attacks. Externalizing everything to make it solely a matter of (mob) "justice" is not how you get stronger. So it may be prudent to punish perpetrators, but the victim mindset is NEVER commendable no matter how badly a person suffers. You still have your life to live, get over your troubles and become stronger, or stop living. You aren't special for being a victim, the rules still apply to you, natural law is not suspended. When you have all these supports for the victim mindset the victim becomes further victimized because they are validated for whining and don't seek to strengthen themselves, instead they become paranoid and cry for more authority intervention. How convenient for the establishment that validates these people!

Re:Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here?

[Opportunist]

What kind of authority is he supposedly having? He's no teacher, he's no scout troop leader, he has no way of handing out any kind of repercussions whatsoever, what the hell are you talking about?

Re:Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here?

[Anonymous Coward]

Feminism infantilize women.

Jesus Christ you dumb fuck, are you so embittered about your tiny penis and lack of social skills that everything has to be about feminists?

This is a man in his 70s, who made a routine habit of making inappropriate advances to underage teenage boys and the like.

This has nothing to do with feminism, and it has everything to do with an old man who was using his waning piece of celebrity to make inappropriate advances and generally be a creepy old man.

But go ahead, demonstrate how much of a butt-hurt dejected bitter loser you are by making this about feminists. Maybe because you're sad that the creepy old guy never stuck his fingers in your ass? Or maybe you're feeling guilty because he did?

You fucking people who go on an on whining about feminists and SJWs ... you're assholes, plain and simple. And what you're defending is the right to be an asshole. In real life, if you go around talking like that someone is going to break your jaw for you.

Your right to be an asshole isn't something to celebrate.

Re:Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here?

[cayenne8]

The problem is - when the person "asking" is in a position of authority,

So, in other words, a person should not be able to try to hook up or date anyone below their "strata"?

That sound suspiciously like the caste system and we see how well that works out in place like India, eh?

Look...real aggression is one thing, rape is rape, etc....but geez, the definition of this is going down to ridiculously low levels.

As a guy, we all (mostly) know that hooking up with a lady is a numbers game. You flirt with and make passes, whatever you want to call it, with as many attractive women as you can, and out of that, you'll get hits.

You get rejections too....but hell, is it now that any girl you hit on and get rejected, means this was an "unwanted sexual assault" on her???

Re:Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here?

[Known Nutter]

Hey dumbshit. Sexual assault, sexual abuse, rape, and sexual misconduct in the workplace are not partisan issues. Get that? Your straw man about banning males from positions of authority is retarded. You clearly do not understand the dynamics that play themselves out in abuse situations. You are the classic asshole that blames the victim -- "can't place all of the blame on the perpetrator"?? Seriously, what the fuck dude? Rapists rape. Abusers abuse. Do you think people choose to be victims of rape and abuse? Do you think they choose to place themselves in a "victim mindset"? When your daughter is assaulted, will you blame her? Seriously think about that. She was askin' for it, right?

You sir, are a fucking asshole, and obviously part of the problem. You can politicize anything. You can make robbing an old woman a political talking point -- the old bag shouldn't have been there in the first place, right? She should have been home baking cookies, right?

This type of constant and complete divisiveness will be the downfall of the US.

"...these people." Go fuck yourself.

Re:Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here?

[Pinky's Brain]

That's a semantic issue. I don't call slaves and people tortured into a mental state where they can't consent whores.

Weinstein's "victims" had agency and gave consent. That's why prostitution should be illegal, so men and women don't get forced into making such choices.

Re:Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here?

[RightSaidFred99]

They're trying top broaden the definition of power. Same with some of the Louis CK. Because people "look up" to you or even if you're popular/famous/powerful in your field doesn't mean people don't have the choice to say no, or report your behavior. It's a way to absolve people of their responsibilities. And yes, sometimes victims do have responsibilities. If you enable your perpetrator to continue to hurt other people by keeping quiet, especially for money, you are wrong and don't get the "but, but, but... victim blaming!!! Muh victims!!!" card. This halo of sainthood and complete lack of responsibility we seem to be bestowing upon the Sacred Victim is getting way out of hand.

Re:Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here?

[AmiMoJo]

Are you really trying to suggest that Lewis CK, a successful guy in an industry where who you know is everything, had no power over women at the start of their careers trying to break in?

Re:Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here?

[Boronx]

"Feminism infantilize women."

A movement to give women power over their own lives, such as the ability to decide who they want to screw, is "infantilizing". Slashdot: come for the tech stories, stay for the brain-dead comments. Thanks for coming through.

What the whoring commenters are not factoring in is Weinstein's willingness to destroy the careers of those who wouldn't sleep with him, or especially those who talked about it. It's not just about sleeping with him for the career boost.

Re:Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here?

[h4ck7h3p14n37]

I'm still not sure what exactly Louis C.K. did that was so wrong. He asked and they said yes, there was no coercion involved. A lot of people are trying to make him out to be some kind of sick sex freak, but the fact is that some women do like to watch. I have had girls tell me it's a fantasy of theirs.

Claiming later that you felt pressured to say yes is a cop-out and an attempt to avoid personal responsibility. If you didn't like it, fine, but you did say yes. We used to be told, "no means no", now we also have to worry about, "I said yes, but I really wanted to say no"?

I'm starting to get the feeling that some people really do think they should be able to go through life and never have anything unwanted or uncomfortable happen to them. That they should never have to tell someone no, and if you do say yes, but later wish you hadn't, then it was the other person's fault.

Re:Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here?

[h4ck7h3p14n37]

I don't think it's ridiculous or outlandish. It was all consensual. They weren't his employees and no quid pro quo took place. Inappropriate is not illegal and it's debatable if the behavior was even inappropriate. Some women like to watch and he asked, he didn't just whip it out.

I'm assuming you're referring to power such as being able to recommend to a club owner that they promote a certain act or that they shouldn't let a particular person on the stage. Did that happen here? Did Louis make any promises or threats? No, he didn't. Did some women possibly assume that they could get ahead if they said yes, or that if they said no they would lose out on gigs? Possibly, but that choice was made by them. If they felt any pressure to say yes, it was self-generated. Saying yes and then later claiming you felt pressured and couldn't say no is just an attempt to avoid personal responsibility for their own choices.

Re: Are we crossing into Witch Hunt territory here

[NoSleepDemon]

I suppose it is to those men who wish to use virtue signalling as some sort of attempt to win the hearts of the opposite sex. Unfortunately they will gladly be exploited and led on, and never realise that "nice guys aren't".

Don't hit on people out of context?

[rsilvergun]

If you're at a hacker convention that is not the appropriate time to hit on a women (or a man). That's why the good Lord made singles bars. You're professional environment is not a dating site. How hard is that to understand?

As for the rest of Utopia thing the Democratic Socialists figured that part out ages ago. The Danes are doing just fine thank you very much.

Re:Don't hit on people out of context?

[RedK]

If you're at a hacker convention that is not the appropriate time to hit on a women (or a man). That's why the good Lord made singles bars. You're professional environment is not a dating site. How hard is that to understand?

There is literally no right or wrong time to meet a significant other. In fact, a convention where people of similar interest gather, is probably a time when you'll meet people, exchange with them, and form bonds. Some of the those bonds could lead to friendships and more. Dating and meeting people is not an activity in and of itself. It happens organically during social activities of all sorts, of which your job, schooling, shopping are all a part of. To try and paint any non-professional bonds that happen in professional settings as wrong is simply to ignore human nature.

That being said, harassment and assault should not be tolerated. But you're saying that flirting, or simply having a nice chat with someone you feel you're connecting with should be banned, which is downright ludicrous.

Re:John Draper

[110010001000]

"get the word out"? If you have documented cases of child abuse why didn't you go to the police???