Columnist Enlists Anonymous to Take Down Rapists

[Alleged_Alec]

Which brings us back to my earlier point: if the police does not take the case, these potentially innocent kids will be punished for it, in this case by releasing their names to the public out for blood.

Good, maybe it will teach them to cooperate with an investigation. If none of it was their fault, it would have been super easy to prove. Let the police scan their phones and have a look at their cellular records, if they have nothing to hide then it will show and the case will be closed. Nothing can be done about proving the rape, but the other stuff is pretty open and shut.

Hopefully this is a wake-up call to everyone involved.

Which, as I also said before, constitutes as illegal coercion because of their right to avoid self-incrimination, whether they are guilty or not.

 

[Korica]

I figured some day this would happen. People start to see the power of Anon and will call on them like invisible, internet Batmans.

 

[Church185]

Which, as I also said before, constitutes as illegal coercion because of their right to avoid self-incrimination, whether they are guilty or not.

How does cooperating with an investigation and submitting evidence that proves your innocence constitute as coercion? At least here in the states if there was reason enough to seek out that evidence a warrant would be issued and it would taken instead of submitted. "There isn't enough evidence to press charges" just says to me that "We didn't do a thorough enough investigation". The whole situation could have been avoided so the blame falls squarely on their shoulders. If the professionals that are supposed to serve and protect don't feel like doing their jobs, I would rather hand it off to the amateurs.

Spoiler: coercion

 

[maddawg IAJI]

You're rooting for people's lives being destroyed. Tell me how is that not revenge?

You do know that you have a right to avoid self-incrimination? What you're suggesting is illegal coercion.

And you're rooting for the people who already destroyed someone's life and brought it to a short, sad end.

Allegedly.

Bullying and spreading libel makes them responsible for the suicide. The only downside is that if they lived here in the states, they'd already be in jail for child pornography and distribution, alas, age of consent is 16 in Nova Scotia.

I think the really sad part of this was that such claims were not taken seriously 18 months ago or whenever the attack was reported. You know, when the picture was circulating. That said, the picture is still evidence enough to convict someone and, as was the case in Stuebenville, its just a matter of retracing it to its origins.

Nice ad hominem. I never said I wanted the ones who did this to walk away scot-free. I object to ruining the lives of people whose guilt has not been proven yet.

And we can't charge someone without knowing who they are. Justice is a double edged sword that way. If someone doesn't look into it, someone who may be guilty walks off scot-free. If someone does look into it and the person is not convicted, they still hold the fact that a trial questioning their actions took place. Of course, they already ruined someone's life when they circulated those photos, so forgive me if I'm not empathetic toward ruining their own reputation.

Is it revenge? Of course, Justice is all about revenge, and retribution, you're silly if you think it serves another purpose.

 

[Alleged_Alec]

Which, as I also said before, constitutes as illegal coercion because of their right to avoid self-incrimination, whether they are guilty or not.

How does cooperating with an investigation and submitting evidence that proves your innocence constitute as coercion? At least here in the states if there was reason enough to seek out that evidence a warrant would be issued and it would taken instead of submitted. "There isn't enough evidence to press charges" just says to me that "We didn't do a thorough enough investigation". The whole situation could have been avoided so the blame falls squarely on their shoulders. If the professionals that are supposed to serve and protect don't feel like doing their jobs, I would rather hand it off to the amateurs.

Spoiler: coercion

You're rooting for people's lives being destroyed. Tell me how is that not revenge?

You do know that you have a right to avoid self-incrimination? What you're suggesting is illegal coercion.

And you're rooting for the people who already destroyed someone's life and brought it to a short, sad end.

Allegedly.

Bullying and spreading libel makes them responsible for the suicide. The only downside is that if they lived here in the states, they'd already be in jail for child pornography and distribution, alas, age of consent is 16 in Nova Scotia.

True if correct.

I think the really sad part of this was that such claims were not taken seriously 18 months ago or whenever the attack was reported. You know, when the picture was circulating. That said, the picture is still evidence enough to convict someone and, as was the case in Stuebenville, its just a matter of retracing it to its origins.

One picture does not make a case, but I agree that the case should have been taken seriously. I have never said otherwise.

Nice ad hominem. I never said I wanted the ones who did this to walk away scot-free. I object to ruining the lives of people whose guilt has not been proven yet.

And we can't charge someone without knowing who they are. Justice is a double edged sword that way. If someone doesn't look into it, someone who may be guilty walks off scot-free. If someone does look into it and the person is not convicted, they still hold the fact that a trial questioning their actions took place. Of course, they already ruined someone's life when they circulated those photos, so forgive me if I'm not empathetic toward ruining their own reputation.

The police knows who these people are. Why would the public need to know?

Is it revenge? Of course, Justice is all about revenge, and retribution, you're silly if you think it serves another purpose.

I disagree. I think justice is about isolating damaging parties from society follow by, if possible, rehabilitation. However, this is a more philosophical debate.

 

[Church185]

I disagree. I think justice is about isolating damaging parties from society follow by, if possible, rehabilitation. However, this is a more philosophical debate.

When it comes to justice my philosophy is more in line with Hammurabi, though the application of such thinking might be hard for some to stomach. I want proof either way, either that they did or did not have a part in ruining this girls life, and the cop-out answer that was given isn't satisfactory. They should do it again (better this time) or move aside while someone else takes the reigns. In the boys best interest it would be preferable if the police just did their job.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

I think the really sad part of this was that such claims were not taken seriously 18 months ago or whenever the attack was reported. You know, when the picture was circulating. That said, the picture is still evidence enough to convict someone and, as was the case in Stuebenville, its just a matter of retracing it to its origins.

One picture does not make a case

Of course it does. A single picture was what sparked the Stubenville case and lo and behold, the kids were found guilty and were convicted. Video and images tend to be very damning in court if experts are brought in to prove authenticity.

The police knows who these people are. Why would the public need to know?

Because alas, District Attorneys are politicians. They focus on what public opinion wants them to focus on. If the public wants crime Z investigated, the District Attorney will move accordingly and, if part of a highly publicized trial, teenagers tend to get punished accordingly rather then get lighter sentences that they normally get because of their age.

 

[Costia]

I am kinda surprised some people are defending Kinsella and his request for Anon's help.
The only thing I might say in his favor is that maybe he doesn't know who he's dealing with.
Anon aren't your friendly neighbourhood watch. Those are the guys who hang out in 4chan's random board (highly NSFW, I would even say not safe anywhere or anyone).
They aren't detectives or law enforcers. They do whatever they want, they don't take requests.
Kinsella might be able to start this Anon "investigation", but he definitely won't be able to stop it.
If shaming and revealing the names of the 4 offender was the worst Anon could do, I would be fine with it.
But there is a significant risk that they will go too far, and you will end up with 4 additional bodies.
It is extremely irresponsible from Kinsella to ask for their help.
There are better ways to get the media's attention.

 

[waj9876]

Stay classy Internet.

Just...everyone involved are acting like complete twats.

 

[Draconalis]

Snip

Wait... he had a name?

In any case, it's good to know that it wasn't because of a difference in opinion to a given situation.

Thank you for the info. I know you weren't under any obligation to inform us.

 

[Pebkio]

Too bad they're trying to appeal to the idiots who send messages and act all righteous. Those people actually can't do what Anonymous does. They just take credit because they think they're all a part of one big club or something. Meanwhile, I wouldn't expect much from the actual hackers, because this shit isn't funny. This would be boring work that has no punchline at the end.

I mean, I feel bad for the girl but unless the statement went "...and I'll give you 1000 bucks for each name" this is not going to happen. Now changing the background on Alphonse MacNeil's computer to a naked picture of a transvestite... that could be funny. And maybe he deserved it, who knows, but the guy sounds like a tool and tools get vandalized.

There, that's how this might go down, but don't expect any real hackers to do anything about this.

 

[ResonanceSD]

Encourage vigilantes? No, by all means, go ahead, that's not the stupidest idea ever, or anything.


Anon aren't some cohesive mass, it's basically a whole bunch of individualists. I'm pretty sure there's a bit in a charter someplace saying "we're not your personal police force".

 

[Captain Anon]

This is freaking scary. All of it.

The fact that human beings would do something like that to someone.

The fact that nothing was done to punish them.

The fact that this group online can break into who-knows-what and get that information to punish them.

The fact that no one can track THEM down incase they ever go to far.

Geeze. I just hope that Anonymous knows what they're doing.

anonymous is like the police of the internet but with less rules and i think they ever gone too far just one or two rouges acting on their own

 

[Hemlock]

Anonymous, being worthless moralfags since 2007.

 

[dystopiaINC]

God Damn It Internet. Stop. Just Stop.

You've honestly put in me in a spot were I feel bad for alleged rapists. What the hell.

I'm in college for criminal justice, I want to be a cop, so far all of my teachers have been retired lawyers, and cops. The first thing I've learned is how very very complicated charging somebody can be. It's never simple, just doing a quick Google search tells me little but from what I got there's not much evidence to go on. at this point I don't support charging them, if there was more by all means. Thing is we have NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED we know there was a picture, we know somehow hat picture was passed around and that she got bullied over it. Now I seen some accounts that claim she didn't even know it happened to her, some that claim sh knew but didn't know it "counted as rape" until after the bullying began. it is highly likely in most of the sources that they were ALL very drunk.which just makes it all so much worse, did she drunkenly agree? was she passed out? we don't know. there isn't enough facts to go on.

And there in lies my issue here, this is a complicated issue being put to a mob. Nobody has been convicted of anything, and while I may want to be a cop in the future people have rights and right now it is their Right to be left unnamed. what anonymous threatens is not the right thing to do. I want to see this further investigated, I want to see them charged if evidence strong enough for a conviction is found. But prosecutors have and ETHICAL Obligation to not charge a case if the evidence is believed to be to weak for a conviction to be made. and if they never turn up any new evidence and never charge anybody it will be unfortunate, and a failure of the legal system, but to violate peoples right in the hopes of forcing a conviction is a miscarriage of justice regardless of if they actually committed any crimes.

In short, I want this looked into, I want Justice, But I want This Clean and BY the fucking book. not some fucking Vigilante Bullshit. because when that happenes innocent people get hurt, be it by mis-targeted rage, collateral damage, or else guilty as sin suspects walk due to misconduct that can be prevented.

 

[Costia]

Looks like Anon is going to attack the USA on may 7th. its called #opusa.

 

[Vareoth]

God Damn It Internet. Stop. Just Stop.

You've honestly put in me in a spot were I feel bad for alleged rapists. What the hell.

I'm in college for criminal justice, I want to be a cop, so far all of my teachers have been retired lawyers, and cops. The first thing I've learned is how very very complicated charging somebody can be. It's never simple, just doing a quick Google search tells me little but from what I got there's not much evidence to go on. at this point I don't support charging them, if there was more by all means. Thing is we have NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED we know there was a picture, we know somehow hat picture was passed around and that she got bullied over it. Now I seen some accounts that claim she didn't even know it happened to her, some that claim sh knew but didn't know it "counted as rape" until after the bullying began. it is highly likely in most of the sources that they were ALL very drunk.which just makes it all so much worse, did she drunkenly agree? was she passed out? we don't know. there isn't enough facts to go on.

And there in lies my issue here, this is a complicated issue being put to a mob. Nobody has been convicted of anything, and while I may want to be a cop in the future people have rights and right now it is their Right to be left unnamed. what anonymous threatens is not the right thing to do. I want to see this further investigated, I want to see them charged if evidence strong enough for a conviction is found. But prosecutors have and ETHICAL Obligation to not charge a case if the evidence is believed to be to weak for a conviction to be made. and if they never turn up any new evidence and never charge anybody it will be unfortunate, and a failure of the legal system, but to violate peoples right in the hopes of forcing a conviction is a miscarriage of justice regardless of if they actually committed any crimes.

In short, I want this looked into, I want Justice, But I want This Clean and BY the fucking book. not some fucking Vigilante Bullshit. because when that happenes innocent people get hurt, be it by mis-targeted rage, collateral damage, or else guilty as sin suspects walk due to misconduct that can be prevented.

I'm afraid that thinking is something most people rarely do. People let themselves be led by emotions and the thirst for petty revenge and lose sight of reality. Also, being a politician means that Warren Kinsella can count on a nice boost in popularity by playing on the emotions of the mob.

Such a coincidence...

 

[kingpocky]

Anon is not a detective agency. They are, as they mention often, a hate machine. They've been given access to names and if they feel like it, they'll ruin those person's lives.

Allegedly. Anonymous hasn't been proven guilty of anything yet.

 

[Mahoshonen]

I recall reading somewhere that "Annonymous is not your personal army." I can easily see why just by what I've read about them. It doesn't matter whether you think your cause is sympathetic to them. You never go to Annonymous - Annonymous comes to you.

 

[6_Qubed]

Damned if this doesn't sound like what TV Tropes refers to as the "Godzilla Threshold", the point where calling in a dangerous, unpredictable, and uncontrollable entity with a history of doing what it damn well pleases without concern for anything else is actually the best option.

Less off-topic, I understand the guy's choice, without support or accusation. From his perspective, the only choices are vigilante justice or no justice at all, and neither option is particularly appealing.