Sunday, June 12, 2011

Media Shamelessly Invading Privacy of Average People in Palin E-Mails

One of the things about the rush of major media outlets to put the Palin e-mails online is the horrific invasion of privacy of thousands of average citizens.

As I've been reading through the e-mails so quickly supplied to me and every other internet user by major news outlets, I've noticed the many e-mails sent to Governor Palin by people like you and me, who in no way are "public" figures.

Not only are their names out there, but their e-mail addresses and house addresses.

This is SHAMEFUL! Those personal details should have been redacted out, if not the name the e-mail addresses and house addresses. But this is nothing unusual for modern journalists. Anything to sell a paper, attract internet traffic, and make a buck.

That information was in the FOIA documents, but the state of Alaska at least had the decency not to broadcast it all over the internet. Like any other public documents, a person needed to have physical access to find that personal information and write it out rather than just digitally copy and paste.

I'm sure that almost all the people are fine with having the content of their messages published. That's what we do in blog commenting. And, though most blog commenters don't use their real names, probably those who wrote to Governor Palin are fine with having their names attached. The horrific part is having their e-mail and house address published. How many internet commenters would comment if they had to leave that information online? Would you? Do you?

SHAMEFUL!

6 comments:

Ten Mile Island said...

Who was that "Poor Richard" guy, anyway?
.

T. D. said...

Unfortunately, Ben Franklin's ethics are not even taught. Ethics classes are so passé.

Thanks for dropping by, TMI.

MR2Di4 said...

Finally! Someone else has picked up on this dreadful oversight by the State of Alaska. I understand why FOIA is necessary but in no way, shape or form should it ever invite an invasion of privacy that comes from having one's surname and email address unleashed to MILLIONS of people looking for dirt.

How long will it be before the people whose email addresses appear on these emails start getting hate mail or are tracked down by liberal hate mongers to their homes?

This kind of wanton negligence is beyond shameful, it should be CRIMINAL!!!

T. D. said...

The media will do anything to tarnish Sarah Palin, and they will victimize hundreds and even thousands of innocent people who happen to be in the path.

I feel sorry for all those who have had their names and e-mail addresses and home addresses made public.

Thank you for your comment.

James Nicholas said...

Yeah, well, this is another one that blew up in their face. Skipping over the fact that it is extremely callous to be going through someone's mail, a practice from which private eyes get their bad name, the truth is the e-mails showed Sarah Palin to be the well thought, well grounded, sensible person that she seemed to be on the campaign trial. Would the media types have an interest in doing the same with Representative Weiner (Democrat, New York)? How about Mr. Frank, from the great commonwealth of Massachusetts? No? Well, here's someone they really should have an interest in informing the public about - how about Barack Obama? You don't need his persoanl correspondence regarding the oil drilling ban or the what he was thinking when this Fast and Furious idea went down in flames. No, no, just some basic background information. College transcripts, anyone? Work associations? Personal associations? No interest still?

Hmmm.

T. D. said...

Which is why 61% of likely voters are angry at the media. (Rasmussen poll)

Great comment, James! Thanks.