Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by dspillett 1000 days ago
And the court of public opinion. By the time lawyers and judges are involved, unless you are very lucky, your name and photo is all over the tabloids. Any retractions published when you are later found completely innocent will be the equivalent of a column inch or two on page 17.
2 comments
WendyTheWillow 1000 days ago
Simply not an issue for nearly everyone.
link
ThePowerOfFuet 1000 days ago
Until it happens to you.
link
WendyTheWillow 1000 days ago
No, even if it happened to me it would not be relevant for the vast majority.
link
dspillett 999 days ago
The point is that it could happen to anyone, if their choice of connectivity arrangements make it possible, so it is a relevant concern for everyone when planning such connectivity arrangements (whether or not they care about the implications of it potentially happening to you, me, or anyone else).
link
WendyTheWillow 998 days ago
No, it could not happen to anyone, for a whole host of reasons…

A number that rounds to zero in the 21st century is the number of people who have been randomly cancelled. You can disagree that it is proportionate to their offense, but z e r o people were just sitting around and woke up a) in the public eye and b) were completely and entirely good people who were maligned needlessly in a permanent way.

It is in no way a real concern for 99.9999999% of people.

link
dspillett 998 days ago
> but z e r o people were just sitting around and woke up a) in the public eye … who were maligned needlessly

Demonstrably false. There are a significant number of individual cases I could mention off the top of my head. If you want a whole bag of them to look at in one go, read up on the NOTW “name and shame” campaign which resulted in numerous entirely spurious accusations, and actual vigilante attacks as well as legal investigations. The court of public option can be a concern for all.

> b) were completely and entirely good people

On a slightly more facetious note: if anyone claims to be absolutely 100% totally good, someone somewhere will disagree :)

There is no objective definition of good that all will agree on, and even if there are none of us are perfect our entire lives.

link
hiatus 1000 days ago
Maybe if you live in Florida.
link