Posted on 07/05/2017 10:03:45 AM PDT by TigerClaws
CNN issued a statement denying that its reporters blackmailed a Reddit user involved in the making of a viral anti-CNN meme after massive social media backlash on Wednesday.
In the statement, the news network pushes back on reports from Donald Trump Jr. and others claiming that it had "blackmailed" a 15-year-old Reddit user, saying in a statement that the user was an adult and that he had apologized before speaking with CNN.
"CNN decided not to publish the name of the Reddit user out of concern for his safety," a CNN spokesman told The Hill. "Any assertion that the network blackmailed or coerced him is false. The user, who is an adult male, not a 15-year-old boy, apologized and deleted his account before ever speaking with our reporter."
In the story, CNN's original statement read: "CNN is not publishing "HanA**holeSolo's" name because he is a private citizen who has issued an extensive statement of apology, showed his remorse by saying he has taken down all his offending posts, and because he said he is not going to repeat this ugly behavior on social media again. In addition, he said his statement could serve as an example to others not to do the same."
"CNN reserves the right to publish his identity should any of that change."
The statement, particularly the last line, was picked up as evidence of "coercion" by Trump supporters and other journalists, who sharply criticized CNN for considering "doxing" the user.
What was on the voicemail from CNN? Obviously they said, "We know who you are and want to talk to you."
With the Antifa riot squads and leftists destroying lives at will, the guy was trying to protect his family.
Reddit and CNN are both owned by Warner Bros. Reddit had the IP info from that and likely shared it with their sister company.
Not blackmail, just an offer he couldn’t refuse.
The interwebs need to be relentlessly bombarded with a phalanx of new and hilarious, “President Trump Stomps the Enemedia,” gif animations.
They PUBLICLY blackmailed him. Claiming they didn’t just makes them look even worse.
“We didn’t blackmail him, we only extorted him.”
The fact they had to make a statement tells you that they’re feeling the heat. Double down!!
And we'll be happy to produce him so he can tell you in person...
We didn't blackmail him. We just threatened him.....
So...who, EXACTLY, gave CNN this person’s information?
It is kinda hard to believe the same outfit that hasn’t been able to find a scrap of proof that Trump colluded with Russia in a year is capable of ferreting out a Redditer who pissed them off in less than a day...
Well, they would, wouldn't they?
“CNN reserves the right to publish his identity should any of that change.”
CNN is stuck in the denial stage. They basically are demanding the posted forgo his 1st Amendment Rights or they’ll out him. That’s extortion/coercion/blackmail 101.
“Blackmail is the use of threat to prevent another from engaging in a lawful occupation.”
—wikipedia
Bingo!
>> a private citizen who has issued an extensive statement of apology, showed his remorse
Something the malevolent MSM would never do. To the contrary, the MSM thrives on offending lies and ugly behavior.
CNN is soon to be a property of AT&T.
Don’t let the MSM piss in your shoes. Switch to Verizon.
I am sure that CNN did not blackmail the dude, at least not in the legal sense of how blackmail is codified. However I am sure that the CNN agent reminded Reddit guy that there is a multitude of fanatical and armed leftists that CNN has no control over. CNN then reminded him of the baseball practice shooting, pointing out how helpless the average citizen and his family are when out in public.
Just bringing Reddit guy up to date, doncha know ...
Haha yeah..that's like people pay the mob for "protection" because the mob is concerned about their safety.
Either your Apology or your Reputation will be on that Contract.
Hope the poor guy doesn’t own a Horse.
I was reading some of the comments about the incident and most of the commentators were totally supportive of CNN and think that all Trump “trolls” should be forced off of the internet this way.
Good little fascists every step of the way, they are.
CNN and Reddit are both owned by Warner Brothers.
Presumably Reddit has the IP of anyone who posts there - unless they use Tor or some other active effort to hide their IP. Most of those can be cracked.
CNN claims that their crack team tracked the guy down based on his various Reddit posts - he gave out revealing info to his identity and they found him on ‘social media’ - Facebook I believe was mentioned.
No doubt the guy will be ‘outed’ by some leftist if there was a bread crumb trail. Also, they already have the apology. Now they want to destroy the guy.
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