Posted on Jul 5, 2017
How CNN found the Reddit user behind the Trump wrestling GIF
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The interesting bit about this story isn't about the video where the POTUS gives a smackdown to CNN. I find that more humorous than anything and claims of it promoting violence overblown.
The interesting bit is the tracking down of the Reddit user and in the face of exposure him offering a mea culpa to avoid that. People think that are anonymous on the web and post all kinds of things they wouldn't say in person, thinking they are anonymous. They are not. For most people posting anonymously, if someone wants to figure out who they are, they likely can.
What this guy was facing was a post that had gotten out of his control. Having something go viral is a two edged sword. It's great that people seem to like what you had to say but if people also object to what you say and find out who you are your life as you know it is over. This guy may have been fired and certainly would have been harassed if his name became known. I don't agree with that type of mob justice either, but it is our current reality.
One thing I always keep in mind when posting is to apply the courtroom test to my posts. Would I be comfortable reading my posts in a court of law. It the answer is no, I don't post it. As this illustrates, you are not probably not as anonymous as you think you are unless you really know what you are doing.
Edit to Add: There has been some confusion about what I'm trying to convey with this post. This isn't so much about this particular case. Things like this happen all the time. This is about the dangerous nature of public internet shaming. Thinking anonymity will protect you from that is a dangerous and in most cases wrong assumption. If anyone is interested in the topic of this type of shaming and why it is so damaging I read a great book on it, "So You've Been Publicly Shamed". I highly recommend it. Here is an Amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ [login to see] /?tag=slatmaga-20
The interesting bit is the tracking down of the Reddit user and in the face of exposure him offering a mea culpa to avoid that. People think that are anonymous on the web and post all kinds of things they wouldn't say in person, thinking they are anonymous. They are not. For most people posting anonymously, if someone wants to figure out who they are, they likely can.
What this guy was facing was a post that had gotten out of his control. Having something go viral is a two edged sword. It's great that people seem to like what you had to say but if people also object to what you say and find out who you are your life as you know it is over. This guy may have been fired and certainly would have been harassed if his name became known. I don't agree with that type of mob justice either, but it is our current reality.
One thing I always keep in mind when posting is to apply the courtroom test to my posts. Would I be comfortable reading my posts in a court of law. It the answer is no, I don't post it. As this illustrates, you are not probably not as anonymous as you think you are unless you really know what you are doing.
Edit to Add: There has been some confusion about what I'm trying to convey with this post. This isn't so much about this particular case. Things like this happen all the time. This is about the dangerous nature of public internet shaming. Thinking anonymity will protect you from that is a dangerous and in most cases wrong assumption. If anyone is interested in the topic of this type of shaming and why it is so damaging I read a great book on it, "So You've Been Publicly Shamed". I highly recommend it. Here is an Amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ [login to see] /?tag=slatmaga-20
How CNN found the Reddit user behind the Trump wrestling GIF
Posted from cnn.com
Social Media
CNN
Office of the President (POTUS)
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
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Well does it come down to black mail by CNN? Doxing ( exposing someone's identity) is prohibited by REDDIT. Seems a lot of folks on twitter think so, CNN IS telling the individual they will not publish his name if he doesn't offend CNN is a form of blackmail. Seems this issue has inflamed both the left and right political spectrum against CNN. It appears CNN stepped in dog poop and is now licking the shoe to insure it really is dog poop. One of the funny tweets was " CNN can find the Reddit guy but not the person who gave Brazile the debate questions".
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SPC Kevin Ford
LTC David Brown Reddit is an independent entity with it's own board, CEO and shareholders. The largest shareholder is Advance Publications. Advance Publications also owns a 13% stake in Charter who in turn own Time Warner. At best that relationship is pretty tenuous and certainly wouldn't bind one independent entity to the policies of another in any legal or moral fashion. The only bridge is through Advance Publications shareholdings indirectly of both entities and they are far from an ownership stake in Charter.
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LTC David Brown
Thank you. I took as truth what I read on the internet. If it's on the internet it has to be true correct?
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LTC Trent Klug
The REDDIT guy was much more important than finding out who gave Donna Brazile the debate questions. REDDIT guy made them the butt of a joke. CNN is just democrats with bylines, so is the person who gave up the debate questions. Brazile, and the target of her largesse, Clinton, are of the same political party. So the person in question doesn't need to be found.
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Someone should have used the rest of the match, it went different then the gif itself
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I think the video is in bad taste and then POTUS tweeting it is childish and un-presidential.
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SPC Kevin Ford
SSG (Join to see) I agree with all you stated. It also didn't deserve all the time the media spent on it. Others on this thread are right that once CNN found out that it wasn't some political organization behind it they should have dropped that angle. Who cares what private citizen made it. Finally why they heck, with everything important going on, are we getting distracted by this?
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