Comments on: Ungoogle me, please

By: Ron Miller

Ron Miller — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:44:31 +0000

By the way, this is a great quote:

“It’s a private university — they have every legal right to come in and take this article down, but for some reason they’re asking my permission to take it down,” she said. “That’s permission I cannot give because of journalistic ethics, which, I might add, we are taught at this school.”

Incoming Editor Evi Sztajno

By: Ron Miller

Ron Miller — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:42:15 +0000

Correct the story how? They never said he was convicted. He was charged and the school thought he was a threat to the students. It never did revoke his suspension.

This is the third comment I have written on this issue. Maybe a personal record. I just find the issue so interesting because I switch positions on it every time I think about it. I’m channeling my inner Mitt Romney.

By: Monty

Monty — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:29:17 +0000

There is a compromise position that the paper could take if it was so-inclined. The paper could use a robots.txt file to stop indexing of the one story, thereby keeping the record intact on thier webpage while solving his complaint.

I think that would be the way to go if he had been accused of something less serious, such as typical college tom-foolery. Sexual assualt though… thats a tough one…

By: DAV

DAV — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:21:07 +0000

The editor wants to keep the story. Fine. But I think she is under an obligation to correct the story. In fact, I think the paper should have to make the correction in FRONT of the web page that includes the story.

By: Ron Miller

Ron Miller — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:19:26 +0000

Ah, no.

By: Jim Collins

Jim Collins — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:13:27 +0000

If this was a regular newspaper would this discussion even be happening?

By: Ron Miller

Ron Miller — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:08:18 +0000

Another tough issue. The real truth is if he was guilty, he is getting much less than he deserved. If he was innocent of the crime, he is getting tragically screwed. That’s the big picture but in the small picture, the editor is right. It is just censorship and I can see why they would refuse to take it down. But would it be a better idea if papers withheld names until a conviction? I don’t know. Either way, it is a moot point now. It is out there.

By: Walter Olson

Walter Olson — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:10:39 +0000

Scott Greenfield also has a commentary on the case.

By: Fox2!

Fox2! — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:24:15 +0000

Winston, Smith, call your office,