You're right, which is why I come down on agreeing _in this case_ that the reporters should reveal the source.
The source, as in your example, and has already been explained by Gruss, committed a crime, no, check that, they committed a CRIME! Federal level. Big house time. Go directly to Leavenworth, do not pass go, do not collect $200... By protecting the source in this case, they are, in effect, obstructing justice. Aiding and abetting. Now, that said, I ALSO disagree with the ruling in that, hindsight being 20/20, the ramifications of this ruling and Time's subsequent turning over of the notes will have, not may, but WILL HAVE a chilling effect on whistle blowers in government and high profile cases. It is a dangerous precedent, I only wish that the ruling would only pertain to this case. But it won't... BTW: in your example, if you provided the CC numbers/SSN whatever, you should go to jail, you've committed a crime, if however, you know of the crime being committed and report it confidentially, then...well, you should be protected with anonymity... But that's truly an oversimplification... > So I have access to your credit information and pass it on to a reporter > who prints it as part of a story on how easy it is to access people's > credit information. I have just ruined your credit by providing that > information to millions of people. Some of whom will use it for illegal > purposes. Should I be protected? Even though the information I provided > was private and could possibly ruin you financially. > > Especially if I did this as a vendetta against you. -- will "If my life weren't funny, it would just be true; and that would just be unacceptable." - Carrie Fisher ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:162499 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
