Prev Next
Featured Quizzes
Politix Daily Headlines
Featured Debates
Issues

See all 17 issues

People
White House

See all people

REVENGE

Journos for Paper That Published Gun Owners' Addresses Get Outed

A Connecticut lawyer has posted personal info on over 50 of the paper's staff

Next>

by Dain Fitzgerald

Staff Writer t

Image: Politix

The New York paper that brazenly published the names and addresses of gun owners in two NYC area counties just got its comeuppance.

Gregory Ferenstein at TechCrunch reports on the impending "transparency arms race," which has now resulted in the names and home addresses of staff for the Journal News being outed for all the world to see. Connecticut lawyer Christopher Fountain posted the information on December 24th, detailing not only the private residencies of JN's journalists, but their personal interests too - gardening, cooking, sports - as revealed by credit card data. Going into sarcasm mode, Fountain even wishes the paper's editor, Janet Hasson, a very satisfying holiday: "Janet, you have a great Christmas Eve."

It's a tit-for-tat move Ferenstein believes challenges the idea that radical transparency is an aid to democratic civility.

"The promise of open data was supposed to lead to open-minded discussion," he writes. "It appears that transparency lends itself equally to being both a tool of democracy or a partisan weapon."

Via TechCrunch.
Like this article? B Vote Up
?

Is radical transparency a threat to democratic civility?

View results

Comments (view in Forum)

  • Post Removed by Moderators
  •
    sittinduck
    !
    @Phreakwars I'm a hunter, but I also have a carry license which I have every right to have. If you don't like guns I suggest you don't buy them, but tell me I can't have guns. I'm not crazy or a coward.

  • View all 65 replies >

  • View all 31 replies >

  • martydotcom
    !
    the info is readily available if you're willing to put in the time.
    Given the name of CEO and headquarters location a search of local public records will reveal all the info other than phone #s Real estate deed is recorded, school and property taxes are public records and in most Blue states where corp headquarters tend to be located available on line. Had a friend who owned a title insurance biz. Given 30 min and in non Internet posted states a credit card to pay for a search fee his staff could find any one.
    Here is how difficult to find the address some one famous like Bill

    http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/local_news/speci...

  • View all 12 replies >

  • WMCOL
    !
    Technology is driving transparency today. The information has always been public and available. Used to be one had to go into the various Court Houses and search records and most didn't know how, but now just sit at computer and anyone can do it. Only thing that is gonna change is information will become more readily available. The world will become like one big happy family.
  • Malitia_Man
    !
    @paperdragons81

    Tell me about!!! My hats off to whoever had the wits to turn the table on these idiots by publishing their home addresses on the Internet!!! I liked that they even put their phone #'s out there!!!
  • Post Removed by Moderators
  •
    kathyparsell
    !
    @Phreakwars
    Just wondering how many "gun nuts" you actually know? You keep talking about gun owners crying, when in fact it is the people opposed to guns that started this whole conversation after the tragedy in Newtown, CT.

    I am asking you seriously if you think any meaningful discourse about guns can ever happen with people throwing outrageous labels at gun owners. Sure there are "gun nuts" and I know that some probably shouldn't be allowed to own a gun, but we're never going to get anywhere fast by generalizing or calling people names.
  • PoliticalSpice
    !
    Who is crying, its your people who are the cry babies. They were pitching fits about having the names of gun owners published. Like cry babies. I thought only adults were allowed to own guns. I cry not a tear. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

  • View all 17 replies >

  • jessejaymes
    !
    "Tech wars" One country attacks another trying to shut down their banking. Another country (US) tries to shut down Iran's nuclear centrifuges. The govt doesn't have anything better to do than read our emails. China is making people use their real names to stop people from being so rude. It is what it is..........The end of the world as we know it.......and I feel fine.
  • kathyparsell
    !
    Tit for tat. The real problem is that gun opponents feel that they have any right to try and intimidate legal gun owners, why don't they publish the names and addresses of gang members or of people actually convicted of crimes involving guns. Oh, I guess that would take intelligent thought not just fear mongering & capitalizing on tragedy.
  • PoliticalSpice
    !
    Why do you feel that folks must curtail the first amendment to cater to those who like the scond amnd? Aren't both amnds in the bill of rights? Who is stopping you from Publishing the names of gang members or people convicted of crimes with guns? I see such names in newstories all the time. If you want to compile a list and publish it you should.
  • kathyparsell
    !
    @PoliticalSpice
    I don't need to publish the names of gang members because in my part of the country there are none. Drug dealers yes, but the police know for the most part who they are, and wait for them to screw up or catch one of their buyers to roll on them, none of my business. Welfare cheats or lazy good for nothing's, we have plenty of those too. While we have our share of crime, most of the violent crime is domestic. A few years ago a man accidently shot his wife in the back of her head while walking to the firing range. Two weeks after the life insurance paid off their crippeling dept with her life insurance the husband was shot between the eyes on his front porch. An unfortunant hunting accident. Se le vie, at least his kids were taken care of.

  • View all 19 replies >

  • u
    ctc
    !
    I guess we've gone full circle.......this reminds me so much of the small little town I grew up in.........everybody knew everything about everybody else.
    How quaint and charming.
  • Quantummist
    !
    Ok.. I have searched and searched... I find dozens of articles about the guy posting the names and address of the people that work for the Journal,,,,,, But I cannot find the Actual List of their names and info.... Can someone please post the link to the list ....
  • Quantummist
    !
    @culinary ... I found dozens of links to articles about the list but can't find the list any where.. Even went to the lawyers blog and it's not mentioned.... Could it be that it has been Censored?
  • Quantummist
    !
    @culinary .. again not a list of the info of the 50 people that work for the Journal... I can still find the list and map of the Gun Owners but not the people that work at the paper ....

  • View all 6 replies >

  • Tralee
    !
    LOL - turn about is fair play. The publishing was stupid, it may protect the ones with guns from being robbed though. What a stupid stunt for the paper to do, and for what? Liberals are a strange lot, really, stranger than a three headed snake.
  • DARSB
    !
    I'm not sure that credit card info is public, but we know the gun license is. My advice to this attorney - when these professional journalists get into your life and publish bits you're not terribly proud of, don't whine. It's unseemly.

  • View all 6 replies >

  • o
    Sonny
    !
    Man----We sure as hell live in one "Crazy-A$$" Country...Everyone seems to behave like a bunch of 4 year olds. There is always some sort of "tit or tat". There is always this constant "us versus them"...There always this never-ending childishness by grown-ass people...Political fight after fight....and now this BS....I seriously wonder how we survived for 200 years?!?
  • PoliticalSpice
    !
    what a bunch of cry babies the right wingers on the sight are complaining it was awful it to publish the list of gun owners. I don't see many complaints from left leaning posters about the publication of journalist names. Seems to my only adults, not cry babies, should be allowed to own firearms.
  • stepped_in_it
    !
    Funny thing about publishing gun owners names and addresses. I know criminals don't want to mess with homes that have good locks, things locked up properly and any good security. Now, the criminals would (I would think) not want to go around those houses with gun owners. They want the "easy" thefts!
  • o
    woodtick57
    !
    Sounds like all the politicians that cry for transparency...until they get in office and realize they don't want the public to see how they make laws...
  • o
    woodtick57
    !
    Any list of information like gun permits is open to the public by law. You give your email to the city to be alerted about plowing or street maintanence and that email is now public information...
  • Zazziness
    !
    Personally, I think publishing personal information as a way to attempt to punish people for their beliefs is wrong. Period. By whoever does it.
  • Keyjo
    !
    We had a similar situation here in Oregon, a couple of years ago. A local newspaper filed for release of concealed permit holders and the sheriff refused to release the information. It went to court, the sheriff lost his case and had to release the information! This all started when a legally licensed high school teacher was forbidden from carrying her 9mm to school.

    http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010...
  • Keyjo
    !
    That being said, it was totally irresponsible for that N.Y. newspaper, or any publication, to publish such personal information. What next, publishing the license plate numbers of vehicles parked in at the local exotic club!? Oh wait, that HAS been done!
    Law abiding citizens DO have a reasonable expectation of privacy, and that includes the licensed and legal carrying of firearms.
  • R Load more comments...