[tptacek]

For comparison's sake, look how Coda Hale handles this problem:

https://twitter.com/#!/coda/status/182858775382851585

140 characters. Note the advanced trick he employs of explaining himself while simultaneously owning the problem. The fundamental technique there: demonstrate (somehow) that you understand the concern and that the concern is valid.

(Your annotation is more cynical than mine would be; the interesting discussion though as far as I'm concerned is "the mechanics of how to apologize effectively in an open letter").

[psykotic]

Exactly. We fucked up. We are sorry. We have taken down the video. It won't happen again. Done. That's all you need to say. Anything more and you're just making it worse.