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[Molemitts]

Kotaku does put out some good stuff every so often I hope they can get out of this alright.

I have no love for Gawker Media and they really shouldn't have posted Hogan's sex tape for sure, but when I found out that about the billionaire who was secretly funding it because of his problems with the company it made me really unsure about the whole thing. Someone having that kind of power to bankroll a lawsuit which will destroy a company is extremely worrying to me.

 

[BannedEpisode]

I really enjoy some of the writers for Gawker but their ethics as a whole are gross.

The fact that they tried to defend posting a sex video of someone they obtained without the persons consent is nasty. The fact that they chose to die on that hill is poetic justice.

It's just so two faced of them to consider themselves champions of defending privacy when it comes to things like the celebrity nude leaks, writing think pieces about how wrong it is, and then hosting the Hogan tape because "it's funny/gross/he deserves it".

I'm not even going to touch on the time they outed someone for clicks and ruined their life.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Burn them to the ground IGN.

 

[SlipperyFishes]

OP, new information including internal ZD memo here: http://www.recode.net/2016/6/10/119...as-to-say-about-its-plans-to-buy-gawker-media

I wanted to share some news about a potential acquisition for Ziff Davis. Earlier today, Gawker Media Group (GMG) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. As part of that process, GMG plans to sell its media properties Gizmodo, Lifehacker, Kotaku, Jalopnik, Deadspin, Jezebel and Gawker.

Ziff Davis has entered into an asset purchase agreement to acquire all of these properties (free of GMG's liabilities), subject to the outcome of a Court-supervised auction. Under the Chapter 11 process, the Bankruptcy Court will soon set a schedule for other potential bidders to enter the sale process. There will then be an auction, which will likely take place at the end of July.

In the event we become the acquirer, the additions of Gizmodo, Lifehacker and Kotaku would fortify our position in consumer tech and gaming. With the addition of Jalopnik, Deadspin and Jezebel, we would broaden our position as a lifestyle publisher. Much like us, GMG is heavily active in driving commerce-based revenues and has an impressive publishing and commerce platform with Kinja.

As you can see, there’s a tremendous fit between the two organizations, from brands to audience to monetization. We look forward to the possibility of adding these great brands – and the talented people who support them – to the Ziff Davis family.

 

[NeonBlack]

Hulkamania returns

 

[graboids]

Giant Bomb Central

From coast to middle to coast

finally....

 

[smokeymicpot]

Kotaku does put out some good stuff every so often I hope they can get out of this alright.

I have no love for Gawker Media and they really shouldn't have posted Hogan's sex tape for sure, but when I found out that about the billionaire who was secretly funding it because of his problems with the company it made me really unsure about the whole thing. Someone having that kind of power to bankroll a lawsuit which will destroy a company is extremely worrying to me.

Gawker outed a bunch of people who did not wanted to be outed. They picked the wrong dude to out. I have no problems with it especially for the fact they were told to take down the sex tape. Their response was Nope.

I just hope they keep both separate and do not combine everything.

 

[Line_HTX]

No matter how shitty you think Gawker is, the idea that a billionaire can bury media organisations over a grudge is fucking disgusting.

Do you honestly think that is worse than what Gawker tried to do with that sex tape?

 

[Wagram]

Kotaku does put out some good stuff every so often I hope they can get out of this alright.

I have no love for Gawker Media and they really shouldn't have posted Hogan's sex tape for sure, but when I found out that about the billionaire who was secretly funding it because of his problems with the company it made me really unsure about the whole thing. Someone having that kind of power to bankroll a lawsuit which will destroy a company is extremely worrying to me.

They exposed something about him to public eyes that can ruin his reputation. It sucks we live in that world, but let's not pretend he's just doing it Just Cause.

Gawker learned actions have consequences.

 

[Anfang]

That has nothing to do with the fact that he still considers himself a fan of Hulk Hogan. Who was shown to be a racist.

Anyway, invasion of privacy can be justified under public interest.

Havent seen the tape, dont plan to. That said have you and if you have does the racist bit happen while Hulkamania is occuring?

 

[Arkam]

Never been a fan of the site but think this does suck for the good journalists/writers they employed. However all those who constantly put pressure on people to break NDA and other such shenanigans kinda got what was a long time coming.

Way too many writers (at many sites) think it is OK to ask people to break the law for a story. In the end the leaker is the only one who faces the repercussions.

 

[SlipperyFishes]

Do you honestly think that is worse than what Gawker tried to do with that sex tape?

When we get to real freedom of the press/speech then absolutely YES — even if they were really questionable (shitty) moves.

This just means that someone can bully a company into virtual nonexistence because they have money.

Imagine if the "ethics kids" really supported ethics they wouldn't be celebrating this shit.

 

[Adam Tyner]

For the Kotaku folks, Brian is already leaving, going to be rough if the places closes up. Not like video game sites are doing all that well. 4

Oh! I saw that Richard Eisenbeis is leaving, but I didn't know about Brian. Has he posted a farewell message anywhere? I'm looking for an announcement but haven't quickly found one. Richard's tweets earlier today make it sound like Brian is remaining onboard (and is currently it for Kotaku East).

 

[The Argus]

Do you honestly think that is worse than what Gawker tried to do with that sex tape?

Didn't he do it because Gawker was ruining all sorts of lives? He was just able to finance it.

Lost complete respect for them when they didn't take down a video of a girl getting raped in a bathroom even after she and her dad pleaded.

 

[ezekial45]

Ziff Davis simply gutting Kotaku would be a waste. Kotaku has value as its own thing, so they should definitely keep that going. Their style of articles is more blogger driven, which doesn't really fit IGN's way of doing thing. Kotaku and IGN would be better separate, they can complement each other.

 

[joecanada]

That has nothing to do with the fact that he still considers himself a fan of Hulk Hogan. Who was shown to be a racist.

Anyway, invasion of privacy can be justified under public interest.

what's the public interest in knowing personal details about someone's private life?. public interest in reporting is details that could benefit the public by knowing or issues that affect citizens that they could respond to with knowledge of, or enact change toward.

public interest is not "oh hey the public will be interested in this because its seedy and its about someone famous".

 

[BiggNife]

Do you honestly think that is worse than what Gawker tried to do with that sex tape?

I mean, both things are awful, but yes, I think a billionaire spending millions of dollars to bankrupt a company over a petty grudge is worse than a website leaking a sex tape.

It sets a bad precedent that shows that if people are powerful enough they can shut down the press. Imagine if trump actually went through with all of those lawsuits towards the press he keeps talking about and then he won. Who would ever say anything negative about trump in the news ever again?

I think Peter Thiel is awful and I also think Nick Denton is awful and it sucks that a lot of great people working under the Gawker network are being affected by bunch of billionaires having hissyfits.

 

[bumpkin]

Hogan with the big boot and legdrop.

Gawker just found out what happens when Hulkamania RUNS WILD ON YOU!

Sorry, as a child of the 80's I couldn't resist.

 

[Line_HTX]

Oh! I saw that Richard Eisenbeis is leaving, but I didn't know about Brian. Has he posted a farewell message anywhere? I'm looking for an announcement but haven't quickly found one. Richard's tweets earlier today make it sound like Brian is remaining onboard (and is currently it for Kotaku East).

I don't see an announcement either. I kind of enjoy Brian's articles.

 

[CoffinVarnish]

this

Shitpost city, population you. Why all the hate on Kotaku though? Do people seriously just choose to ignore the facts?

 

[jello44]

Gawker outed a bunch of people who did not wanted to be outed. They picked the wrong dude to out. I have no problems with it especially for the fact they were told to take down the sex tape. Their response was Nope.

I just hope they keep both separate and do not combine everything.

Play with fire and get burned.

 

[Scientist Supreme!]

Do you honestly think that is worse than what Gawker tried to do with that sex tape?

Both seem pretty awful.

 

[Anfang]

Imagine if the "ethics kids" really supported ethics they wouldn't be celebrating this shit.

So your freedom of the press trumps personal privacy? Neither side will get 100% and if they do the other will be complete shit. There has to be a line and for me posting the sex tape of someone who didn't consent is it. As I mentioned above I havent seen the video and wont, but if Hogan went on the racist rant while not having sex it would have been for me at least fine and they could have cut the sex out. Allowing the sex bit in was ridiculous and gross.

 

[bonesmccoy]

I have no love for Gawker Media and they really shouldn't have posted Hogan's sex tape for sure, but when I found out that about the billionaire who was secretly funding it because of his problems with the company it made me really unsure about the whole thing. Someone having that kind of power to bankroll a lawsuit which will destroy a company is extremely worrying to me.

The outing, posting of sex tapes, and utter disregard and disdain for the damage their blog did to peoples' lives worries you LESS than the fact the Hulkster had a rich buddy helping him pay for the lawsuit?

Lol, ok.

 

[GDJustin]

Sad news. I didn't always agree with what Gawker published but there has been a LOT of good work produced by io9, Kotaku, etc. that I've really respected over the years.

It's weird times. If you'd have said in 2009 we might live in a world 7 years later in which IGN could own Kotaku and GameTrailers... I don't think one person would have believed you.

 

[Zvonimir Boban]

Do you honestly think that is worse than what Gawker tried to do with that sex tape?

Of course it is.

Freedom of the press also applies to disgusting rags that nobody likes, angry billionaires being able to take that away is absolutely worse than damaging Hulk Hogan's public persona. I'm not defending Gawker so much as worrying about the precedent this sets.

 

[BiggNife]

The outing, posting of sex tapes, and utter disregard and disdain for the damage their blog did to peoples' lives worries you LESS than the fact the Hulkster had a rich buddy helping him pay for the lawsuit?

Lol, ok.

Thiel didn't fund the lawsuit simply because he was friends with Hogan. He filed it because he's wanted to shut down Gawker for a long time and decided the Hogan case was the most likely one to do it.

Again, fuck Gawker and fuck Nick Denton, but I don't think it's a good idea to downplay the fact that a dude literally spent millions of dollars to shut down a news site he didn't like and won. This could happen again, and possibly the next time it won't be a site as divisive as Gawker.

 

[TheSlySoul]

Ziff Davis simply gutting Kotaku would be a waste. Kotaku has value as its own thing, so they should definitely keep that going. Their style of articles is more blogger driven, which doesn't really fit IGN's way of doing thing. Kotaku and IGN would be better separate, they can complement each other.

Since they mentioned Kinja perhaps they will let them keep them with their own names? Kinja is the platform at which they run.
Important thing is the guy wanted to destroy just the Gawker site and he will get the wish. Glad Hamilton will be booted personally.

 

[joecanada]

The outing, posting of sex tapes, and utter disregard and disdain for the damage their blog did to peoples' lives worries you LESS than the fact the Hulkster had a rich buddy helping him pay for the lawsuit?

Lol, ok.

ya what concerns me most in that statement is that it appears the average person could never afford to stand up for their rights, and even Hogan needed a bankroll to do it. That's what's most concerning.

 

[qatak]

Do you honestly think that is worse than what Gawker tried to do with that sex tape?

anybody who can actually grasp the implications of it should think it's worse

 

[Palette Swap]

Both seem pretty awful.

Yeah.
Gawker is an awful hill to die on to make a point about freedom of the press. They're awful and what they did was reprehensible.
That Hogan is a racist or Thiel has politics I dislike a lot doesn't change anything to how reprehensible what they did was.

It still sucks for Kotaku, as they had some good writers doing good pieces.

 

[Armaros]

When we get to real freedom of the press/speech then absolutely YES — even if they were really questionable (shitty) moves.

This just means that someone can bully a company into virtual nonexistence because they have money.

Imagine if the "ethics kids" really supported ethics they wouldn't be celebrating this shit.

How about Gawker aiding in a criminal activity?

They basiclly helped a blackmailer, blackmail the CFO of one of the their competitor.

Yeah. When people talk about civil liberties and the sanctity of the "freedom of the press," what we're really all imagining is the very important information of a wrestler's sex tape and outing gay men like the CFO of Condé Nast.

Thank God for Gawker.

What a bastion of journalistic integrity. Journalism is now dead.

Not just outed, assisted a blackmailer for clicks.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Of course it is.

Freedom of the press also applies to disgusting rags that nobody likes, angry billionaires being able to take that away is absolutely worse than damaging Hulk Hogan's public persona. I'm not defending Gawker so much as worrying about the precedent this sets.

I mean, both things are awful, but yes, I think a billionaire spending millions of dollars to bankrupt a company over a petty grudge is worse than a website leaking a sex tape.

It sets a bad precedent that shows that if people are powerful enough they can shut down the press. Imagine if trump actually went through with all of those lawsuits towards the press he keeps talking about and then he won. Who would ever say anything negative about trump in the news ever again?

I think Peter Thiel is awful and I also think Nick Denton is awful and it sucks that a lot of great people working under the Gawker network are being affected by bunch of billionaires having hissyfits.

When we get to real freedom of the press/speech then absolutely YES — even if they were really questionable (shitty) moves.

This just means that someone can bully a company into virtual nonexistence because they have money.

Imagine if the "ethics kids" really supported ethics they wouldn't be celebrating this shit.

Yeah. When people talk about civil liberties and the sanctity of the "freedom of the press," what we're really all imagining is the very important information of a wrestler's sex tape and outing gay men like the CFO of Condé Nast.

Thank God for Gawker.

What a bastion of journalistic integrity. Journalism is now dead.

 

[LewieP]

Properly hope that in the fallout, Brian Ashcraft gets fired and then hired by Polygon.

I am pleased at Gawker management/ownership experiencing consequences for their actions, but I have sympathy for their employees doing good work.

I also can't imagine their will be much of a bidding war for "Media outlet likely to be sued a lot in the near future". Hogan is far from the only individual who's privacy they have breached.

This isn't a case of press censorship, this is a case of a bully being unable to pick on someone their own size.

 

[Dark Ninja]

Get em Hulk. Hogan putting more companies out of buisness.

 

[SolidSnakex]

I mean, both things are awful, but yes, I think a billionaire spending millions of dollars to bankrupt a company over a petty grudge is worse than a website leaking a sex tape.

It sets a bad precedent that shows that if people are powerful enough they can shut down the press. Imagine if trump actually went through with all of those lawsuits towards the press he keeps talking about and then he won. Who would ever say anything negative about trump in the news ever again?

I think Peter Thiel is awful and I also think Nick Denton is awful and it sucks that a lot of great people working under the Gawker network are being affected by bunch of billionaires having hissyfits.

No it doesn't. Gawker wouldn't have gotten into shit if they didn't think they were above the law. They were even told by a judge to take down the Hogan sex tape and this was their response

So this doesn't set any precendent about how someone powerful cna shut down press if they write things that they don't write. All it does is remind us what we already knew, which is that being a journalist doesn't somehow put you above the law. There's a reason why other journalists were actually celebrating on social media when the news broke about Hogan winning the trial. Gawker and the way they operate is despised by everyone except for those that work there.

 

[Molemitts]

nevermind

 

[BiggNife]

Yeah. When people talk about civil liberties and the sanctity of the "freedom of the press," what we're really all imagining is the very important information of a wrestler's sex tape and outing gay men like the CFO of Condé Nast.

Thank God for Gawker.

What a bastion of journalistic integrity. Journalism is now dead.

So I guess you totally missed the point where I said I'm not defending Gawker? In fact, I hate Gawker The Website for the exact reasons you mentioned.

What's to stop another billionaire from doing this same thing to another company? Remember the Romney "47% of people don't matter" video? With this precedent he could've challenged that and won. That's kind of unsettling.

 

[True Fire]

Gawker needs better management, but IGN are corporate sellouts. I loved Kotaku's rebel spirit, even if they took it a bit too far at times, and I would hate to see them become an advertising platform.

 

[Armaros]

So I guess you totally missed the point where I said I'm not defending Gawker? In fact, I hate Gawker The Website for the exact reasons you mentioned.

What's to stop another billionaire from doing this same thing to another company? Remember the Romney "47% of people don't matter" video? With this precedent he could've challenged that and won. That's kind of unsettling.

There was a court order to take it down? And someone refused? How is it the same and applicable?

A rich people's campaign fundraiser constitutes personal privacy?

 

[Giolon]

For the Kotaku folks, Brian is already leaving, going to be rough if the places closes up. Not like video game sites are doing all that well. 4

Brian's leaving? Do you mean Richard? He had an article this morning. http://kotaku.com/richard-says-goodbye-from-japan-1780996395

 

[Dangansona]

I wish I read Kotaku more. I appreciate some of the Anime and smaller title reporting they do and the site has clearly improved in the last few years.

The ideal situation would be that Kotaku remains largely intact and Gawker burns to the ground. Hopefully there is a way that happens.

 

[ArkkAngel007]

Never been a fan of the site but think this does suck for the good journalists/writers they employed. However all those who constantly put pressure on people to break NDA and other such shenanigans kinda got what was a long time coming.

Way too many writers (at many sites) think it is OK to ask people to break the law for a story. In the end the leaker is the only one who faces the repercussions.

Other than their note on the site that those with information in general can contact at such and such email, what pressure?

 

[SlipperyFishes]

Properly hope that in the fallout, Brian Ashcraft gets fired and then hired by Polygon.

Hmm?

 

[OmegaX0]

So I guess you totally missed the point where I said I'm not defending Gawker? In fact, I hate Gawker The Website for the exact reasons you mentioned.

What's to stop another billionaire from doing this same thing to another company? Remember the Romney "47% of people don't matter" video? With this precedent he could've challenged that and won. That's kind of unsettling.

Did you think Thiel just paid the jury off? Gawker lost the suit for a reason, they were scummy and deserved to be punished for it.

 

[Takao]

Shitpost city, population you. Why all the hate on Kotaku though? Do people seriously just choose to ignore the facts?

When people shit on Kotaku, it's not because of their behind the scenes features, leaks (though, lol at still pretending Final Fantasy Versus XIII was cancelled) or even their news reporting. It's all the mindless drivel in between. Before I dropped the site from being something I semi-regularly visited (at one point it was a site I used to visit daily), I vividly remember them posting an article about which Animal Crossing character had inspired the most porn. If that's what you want from a video game website, go ahead.

 

[DorkyMohr]

What's to stop another billionaire from doing this same thing to another company? Remember the Romney "47% of people don't matter" video? With this precedent he could've challenged that and won. That's kind of unsettling.

You can't honestly believe this sets any precedent for the scenario you're describing to happen.

 

[MegaManTrigger]

I mean, both things are awful, but yes, I think a billionaire spending millions of dollars to bankrupt a company over a petty grudge is worse than a website leaking a sex tape.

It sets a bad precedent that shows that if people are powerful enough they can shut down the press. Imagine if trump actually went through with all of those lawsuits towards the press he keeps talking about and then he won. Who would ever say anything negative about trump in the news ever again?

I think Peter Thiel is awful and I also think Nick Denton is awful and it sucks that a lot of great people working under the Gawker network are being affected by bunch of billionaires having hissyfits.

I don't think it's that simple. It sets a precedent against journalistic sites that don't care about what they consider news, nor that they were ordered to take down the video from a judge. But we're still lightyears away from a billionaire thinking they can take down a major pillar of journalism like New York Times, Post, etc. Not to mention how Gawker pales in comparison to the assets that the major journalism companies would have. I think the difference between the two speaks for itself too, Gawker IIRC was the only one who would stoop so low so as to report on both Thiel's sexuality and Hogan's sex tape where no other journalism site/newspaper cared to do so (I could be wrong, correct me if I'm wrong as that's what I recall).

 

[Arnie7]

This is how what's left of freedom dies.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Not just outed, assisted a blackmailer for clicks.

Yep. Disgusting behavior.

If people don't think they deserved to go down for Hogan (which they do), they at least deserve to go down for that, along with all the other shit they've pulled.

So I guess you totally missed the point where I said I'm not defending Gawker? In fact, I hate Gawker The Website for the exact reasons you mentioned.

What's to stop another billionaire from doing this same thing to another company? Remember the Romney "47% of people don't matter" video? With this precedent he could've challenged that and won. That's kind of unsettling.

How about: the law

Romney's comments were within the realm of public interest because he was running for president. Beyond that, there wasn't an invasion of privacy, at least not within even remotely the same way. If you don't see a difference in publishing a sex-tape and publishing a video from a private campaign fundraiser, I'm not sure what to tell you.