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Jeff Bezos Accuses National Enquirer of Blackmail

nytimes.com

81–90 of 202 posts

Re: Jeff Bezos Accuses National Enquirer of Blackmail

#81
post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same thing I was thinking. That said, I hate the National Enquirer and I am praying this leads to their destruction. On a tangentially related note I also believe there ought to be laws restricting paparazzi from harassing people. I think it's awful every time I see someone trying to walk down the street or out of a hospital or courthouse and swarmed by cameras that won't leave them alone even in moments of grief. Th…

Regulation is required. Otherwise destroying 1 paparazzi or 1 tabloid will make another 5 pop up in their place.

Partially agreed. Journalism should always be unregulated, but justice should act faster and be more reliable when journalism strays to evil.

I wish there was any way for the commoners to make public policy proposals. Imagine like a reddit for discussion of policy, but where the most upvoted things actually got looked at by people in decision-making positions.

It's very frustrating to me that I sometimes see really deep, interesting analysis of issues (and actual back-and-forth exchanges!) on reddit and never any such thing from actual politicians. Look at this thread here~ [0] Honestly insightful and meaningful discourse that anyone can participate in. They took what sounded on the surface like a great idea and pointed out critical flaws, and suggested superior alternatives. The constructiveness of the thread astounds me.

I wish this type of thing actually connected to the government somehow, like in Ender's Game where Ender's siblings construct internet aliases and join policy conversations, slowly gaining influence and popularity through their rhetoric and insight.

[0] https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/aicgpz/serious_a...

Re: Jeff Bezos Accuses National Enquirer of Blackmail

#83
post #32

Looks like David Pecker just lost his Prime membership. Enjoy a lifetime of 14 day shipping, bro.

Likely just switch to eBay at that point, with Fast & Free most items show up in 2 or 3 days. Newegg and a few hundred others also do Shoprunner, which is 2 day shipping if you spend enough to qualify (iirc buying a few hundred dollars a year worth of stuff). Cutting Amazon out of my life has definitely been an improvement :D

Re: Jeff Bezos Accuses National Enquirer of Blackmail

#85
post #75
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What Gawker did to Hulk Hogan was illegal and unethical. And when they were told to take the video down by a judge they refused to do so. Gawker lost because they were in the wrong and were destroyed because they refused to just take the L

What happened to freedom of the press?

Freedom of the press does not give you a free pass to violate people's right to privacy.

Re: Jeff Bezos Accuses National Enquirer of Blackmail

#86
post #75
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What Gawker did to Hulk Hogan was illegal and unethical. And when they were told to take the video down by a judge they refused to do so. Gawker lost because they were in the wrong and were destroyed because they refused to just take the L

What happened to freedom of the press?

The press doesn't have the freedom to blackmail and do illegal biddings for powerful people, and destroy lives when lives aren't newsworthy.

Re: Jeff Bezos Accuses National Enquirer of Blackmail

#87
post #75
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What Gawker did to Hulk Hogan was illegal and unethical. And when they were told to take the video down by a judge they refused to do so. Gawker lost because they were in the wrong and were destroyed because they refused to just take the L

What happened to freedom of the press?

[deleted]

Re: Jeff Bezos Accuses National Enquirer of Blackmail

#89
post #75
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What Gawker did to Hulk Hogan was illegal and unethical. And when they were told to take the video down by a judge they refused to do so. Gawker lost because they were in the wrong and were destroyed because they refused to just take the L

What happened to freedom of the press?

Freedom of the Press does not allow for breaking the law and _especially_ does not allow them to disobey a court order after their illegal activities are litigated (and, especially _especially_ does not allow them to flaunt that disobedience in the public). What Gawker did was not protected by the first amendment, nor should it be.

That being said, I also don't believe what Thiel did was ethical or just. It's a scary prospect.

Re: Jeff Bezos Accuses National Enquirer of Blackmail

#90
I can relate to a plague on both their houses but it is important to worry a bit about 'law of unintended consequences' effects. Bezos is going to get something ordinary mortals cannot, (redress) because of his money. So he isn't a champion for fundamental rights against press abuse, he's a champion for millionaires rights.

A real win here is for a global press industry to adopt redress measures ordinary people can use, and for stories to reflect fundamental truths, not twisted outcomes.

Jeff is still a union-busting, extractive parasite in my personal opinion. He might have made a worldwide empire which drives the economy, but he also helped wreck small-town shopping alongside costco and walmart, and their international cohort of economically efficient traders. Its lovely to be able to buy anything. Its truly sad to walk past small town life consisting of boarded up shops.

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