Twitter's Secrets

The news yesterday about Twitter's hacked information has brought out the either-or kind of thinking. Some are all for the public viewing if Tech Crunch does indeed publish "a variety of alleged documents including "financial projections, product plans and notes from executive strategy meetings," and the original pitch for Twitter's reality based television show." (PC World, "Twitter Hacked, Secrets to be Revealed?" July 15, 2009) Others, such as Michael Hickins who writes for InformationWeek's Digital Life Weblog, have pronounced that Tech Crunch's Michael Arrington has crossed the journalistic line and so "should have the decency to step down." ("Michael Arrington Should Step Down" July 16, 2009)

I do not normally write about stuff like this on my ol' blawg. Posts on dirty diapers, drinking nasty smoothies, and writing reviews of homeschool products is my general forte. But I had to deviate this time.

The population of news media - think CNN or FoxNews and the like - is a group I tend to shy away from. Unless I am offered a link to read from a friend or family member, I do not watch/read/or view mainstream sources for so-called newsworth pieces. We do not watch television at all, so even turning on the nightly news doesn't happen around here.

All that to say, I just really do not care for the so-called journalism that happens daily around the globe.

Stolen information is just that: stolen. They are not a gift handed to you to use in whatever way you want. Professional and moral decency has flown out of the window in Mr. Arrington's case. I'm with Mr. Hickin's in that a resignation, and even a public apology, should be in the works.

I am not personally privy to how news organizations gather their information. I am interested in what journalistic "lines" there are that should not be crossed, according to those in that profession. I am guessing that using stolen information as a news piece is crossing that line.

Thoughts? Convictions? Remarks?