CNN, journalists should have no pity for anonymous internet trolls

USA Today | July 7, 2017 | Kirsten Powers

[2ndDivisionVet]

Link only due to copyright issues:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/07/07/cnn-holesolo-blackmail-journalism-kirsten-powers-column/459898001/

[DocRock]

The fake media gets a ballpark full of Republicans shot and the President’s life threatened, so they distract by extorting kids that post funny memes. Now Kirsten doubles down. Next she’ll want his lunch money.

[mbrfl]

To paraphrase CNN and all the other leftwing outlets - this could have a very chilling effect on free speech. Oh wait, that was them responding to others calling them out for their false reporting and liberal bias.

[TADSLOS]

No pity? Like ISIS or the Nazi SS?

Dumb liberal broad.

[Gruene hall]

BREAKING NEWS FROM CNN
Elvis Presley died today.
NEWS AT 10 O’CLOCK

[pghoilman]

Started to read it, but bailed after the first few sentences.

[pghoilman]

Have tried to watch as many as possible.
Bugs Bunny conducting the CNN opera singer is the best.
Winning is more fun than I had hoped!

[TigersEye]

Comments?

I hope 4chan tears her apart along with CNN.

[Boomer]

Kirsten Powers was never a great pundit but now she’s a fallen pundit and can’t get up.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Internet ‘trolls’ are people expressing their opinion about so-called journalist Liars and news spinning, videos that are cut short to spread lies or misinformation.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

If releasing their identity was my only leverage, I would use it.

The only defense I can see for protecting his identity is that CNN believed it might jeopardize his physical safety. If this is true, then they made the right decision.

Kirsten Powers, you should never have written that. You and others like you need your personal information posted. Practice what YOU preach. Personal safety? What about the personal safety of Donald Trump and other conservatives you folks trash all of the time?

Maybe the right decision is to simply stop. Now. We do NOT like what you write and those other newscasters say and write and we want them to stop. Now. They feel the same way toward us. Tell me. My solution is for you to stop. What part of "stop" do you NOT understand? So, how do we settle this, Kirsten?

[reasonisfaith]

Mrs. Powers doesn’t seem to be aware that because the media has decided to become the enemy of the American people they have forfeited their right to moral objection.

[conservative98]

Didn’t she used to date Tony Weiner?

[FredZarguna]

Yep.

[FredZarguna]

The CNN line of defense, that they were poised to expose a dangerous misogynist-homophobe-racist has been properly described elsewhere as "bafflegab."

It bears no relationship to what #FakeNews @CNN did, nor what they set out to do. To review:

1. CNN is not the Boss of the Internet. "Cleaning it" up isn't their job.
2. Even if they were, they took no action to enforce their (retroactively convenient) definition of "ethical behavior."
3. What CNN wanted to do was use the threat of exposure to coerce behavior; their own statement makes the perfectly clear. They forced an apology, and threatened the poster with exposure if he didn't stay quiet, and do their subsequent bidding.
4. When 4chan & /pol/ revealed the names & addresses of CNN staff, CNN staff were quite alarmed -- why, if people need to "own their opinions" and "have no right to anonymity?"
5. Probably the worst postings by this guy were anti-semitic. Why doesn't Powers mention that? Because calling out Jew haters doesn't get you any virtue signalling points, in fact, it loses you chits with the SJW's.
6. Finally, it's pretty clear that CNN did not even "out" the right person. There are a number of problems with the details of the "exposed" meme'ers gif. Duh.

In fine, and in sum: Powers' is defending the indefensible by saying CNN had every right to do something it had NO right to do, did NOT do, had no INTENTION of doing, was horrified by when done to CNN, and did not even do CORRECTLY.

Losers and #CNNBlackMail 'ers.

[kiryandil]

It appears that Opinionists, formerly known as "jernalists", are going to have to be doxxed without mercy.

Unto their fourth degree relations...

[kiryandil]

She was cute and somewhat knowledgeable but not so much anymore.

Maybe the Internet has got some nekkid picktoors of her, then? :)

[clearcarbon]

"CNN, journalists should have no pity for anonymous internet trolls"

What about counterfeit news network trolls? Was CNN among those calling the Tea Party a terrorist group?

[48th SPS Crusader]

Once CNN became a mouth piece for the Democrat Party and all things far to the left it opened itself up to anything it gets!

[PapaBear3625]

She says that she posts her opinions under her own name, and everyone else should too.

The difference being that she is effectively immune from retaliation for her opinions. Meanwhile HanA***Solo is vulnerable to having his employer harassed until he’s fired, and being vulnerable to having his home torched by Antifa thugs.

Perhaps she would feel differently if information was leaked about her which would make her vulnerable in her real-life existence.

[poconopundit]

Powers is defending the indefensible by saying CNN had every right to do something it had NO right to do...

Yes, while Trump was in Poland defending Western Civilization, TimeWarner CNN continues to try to destroy Western Civilization.