The right to free speech, which only precludes the government from censoring you, does not include a right to anonymity. This is like saying redneck sheet wearing Klansmen are entitled to anonymity.

There's a line that has to be drawn when the press believes it can ruin the life of a private citizen who posts something anonymously.

If it is posted publicly, not really any different than the redneck sheet wearing Klansman.

It's one thing if people within the Reddit community do it, but a private citizen who has no relevance to the news of the day should not be outed by a news conglomerate for private postings.

It was a public posting. Just like posts here (and on the DiCaro thread...). Free speech does not prevent non-governmental entities/people from holding you accountable for what you say/post.

Many that is true, but an incomplete statement.

Legally CNN can doxx anyone they want. The coercion part they can't.

It is wrong for a news organization that uses anonymous sources to out someone out of spite though.

1. Provided they violated no laws to get his personal info, why can't they coerce him to remove the post?

2. Wrong, but not necessarily illegal. Not the best business practice. Newspapers act out of spite all the time.

1. Provided they violated no laws to get his personal info, why can't they coerce him to remove the post?

2. Wrong, but not necessarily illegal. Not the best business practice. Newspapers act out of spite all the time.

1. Provided they violated no laws to get his personal info, why can't they coerce him to remove the post?

A person is guilty of coercion in the second degree when he or she compels or induces a person to engage in conduct which the latter has a legal right to abstain from engaging in, or to abstain from engaging in conduct in which he or she has a legal right to engage, or compels or induces a person to join a group, organization or criminal enterprise which such latter person has a right to abstain from joining, by means of instilling in him or her a fear that, if the demand is not complied with, the actor or another will:
1. Cause physical injury to a person;  or
2. Cause damage to property;  or
3. Engage in other conduct constituting a crime;  or
4. Accuse some person of a crime or cause criminal charges to be instituted against him or her;  or
5. Expose a secret or publicize an asserted fact, whether true or false, tending to subject some person to hatred, contempt or ridicule;  or
6. Cause a strike, boycott or other collective labor group action injurious to some person's business;  except that such a threat shall not be deemed coercive when the act or omission compelled is for the benefit of the group in whose interest the actor purports to act;  or
7. Testify or provide information or withhold testimony or information with respect to another's legal claim or defense;  or
8. Use or abuse his or her position as a public servant by performing some act within or related to his or her official duties, or by failing or refusing to perform an official duty, in such manner as to affect some person adversely;  or
9. Perform any other act which would not in itself materially benefit the actor but which is calculated to harm another person materially with respect to his or her health, safety, business, calling, career, financial condition, reputation or personal relationships.
Coercion in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.

If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same; or

If two or more persons go in disguise on the highway, or on the premises of another, with intent to prevent or hinder his free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege so secured—

They shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, they shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.

EDIT: Kaczynski is based in New York, and presumably that is where he contacted this guy and intimidated him. And if the guy isn't in New York (or CNN didn't call him from New York):



That's why.

On top of the sketchy legality of their actions, it's just wrong for a major news conglomerate to do this.

That part may be illegal and it certainly is wrong for a news organization to do it. There is a reason they "clarified" what they did with him a few times.

Do newspapers act out of spite all the time on private citizens who aren't actively involved in news?

...they're on a slippery slope for a "news organization" that relies on anonymous sources. Who could ever trust them? Let's say I get sideways with one of their reporters and now he's threatening me. No thanks.

The thought originally was that the guy created the .gif. Since that was the original premise, then he was "actively in the news" whether he intended to be or not. That happens all the time.

I even think that is a little bit of a stretch. If Donald Trump retweets your last post do you become a public figure?

I even think that is a little bit of a stretch. If Donald Trump retweets your last post do you become a public figure?

You are conflating 2 different things: "actively in the news" and "public figure." They are not identical.

He's got nothing to worry about. Its CNN, theyll identify the wrong guy for sure

4Chan is going shock and awe flooding Mr. Kaczynski's family with calls and messages. I don't support this, but this also doesn't happen if KFile doesn't blackmail some poor guy who is the wrong target in the 1st place.

http://thehill.com/media/340888-cnn-rep ... dit-report

The menstrual cycle changes among Hassidic Jewish women was something as well.

Doxxing someone is not a crime, telephone harassment is a crime. Not a smart group.

The 4Chan types who do this are the type who are using Tor and VPN's. They are basically the same people who do Anonymous credited hacks.

The menstrual cycle changes among Hassidic Jewish women was something as well.

Ok. They are technologically adept but are not logically consistent.