ABC Mistakenly Releases ID in Page Probe

[NVMojo]

sorry if this is a dupe, I searched ...

NEW YORK (AP) - ABC News' fleeting, inadvertent publishing of a computer screen name enabled a blogger to track down and make public the supposed identity of a former congressional page who traded salacious messages with former Rep. Mark Foley.

In breaking the story of the now-burgeoning scandal, the network last Friday posted on its Web site a series of instant message exchanges between Foley and the teen-ager. The name of the page was not included.

But in one exchange the network inadvertently left the victim's screen name on. It was quickly discovered and removed, replaced by a version with the name redacted.

However, ABC said Thursday that a blogger was able to retrieve the deleted file. The blogger, known as "Wild Bill' from the "Passionate America" site, went on a computer detective mission he describes in detail on his site to discover the name.

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/bw-cong/2006/oct/05/100501019.html

[Ezlivin]

1. Time for the Republican smear dogs to go after the victim

They are so damned good at that.

[davidinalameda]

2. inadvertently?

my fat ass

someone did it on purpose

[NVMojo]

3. probably one of the "Pathway" shills

[Bucky]

14. In a rush job on a breaking scandal, it is impossible to make a mistake

Pardon me while I roll my eyes. You have no basis for assuming it wasn't a careless error.

[progdonkey]

4. ABC News then THANKED the fucker....

"To be clear, no one visiting our Web site would have simply stumbled on the old version," ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider said. "We thank the blogger and (Matt) Drudge for bringing this to our attention."

Um, ABC, "Wild Bill" wasn't doing this in the spirit of a hacker who finds security loopholes and publishes them for, say, Microsoft to then close them; he did this to out the name of the victim so he can be harrassed for having the nerve to be 16-years-old around poor, innocent Mark Foley.

[ShortnFiery]

10. We thank the blogger and (Matt) Drudge. Oh these evil bastards!

I'm so angry! Damn Matt Drudge, he's vomit! :puke:

[54anickel]

5. The Passionate America site seems to be having some problems

at this time. :eyes:

From your link:

..."We thank the blogger and (Matt) Drudge for bringing this to our attention." :puke:

[xxqqqzme]

6. well, hey, 'wild bill' don't keep us in suspence.

Let's have your real name - chicken-shit, chicken-hawk!

[central scrutinizer]

7. sounds like karma is running over his dogma

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2323695

[KurtNYC]

8. The coverage of this scandal in the MSM is hampered by

the inability of the MSM to understand the internet. They really don't seem to know the difference between email and IMs. The fact that they wouldn't think someone could trace a screenname back to a person's really name is only mildly surprising.

[Supersedeas]

15. Scandal is one question: Why wasn't Dem of Page Board notified???????

[skids]

9. Here's a thought... Foley uses AOL, right?

What about that leaked search database... build an association between search times and when we know Foley was online? Figure out the numeric ID corresponding to Mr maf54?

Could be fun, maybe I'll take a crack at it.

[Barrett808]

17. Please do, and let us know what you discover! n/t

[skids]

23. Well, not much so far.

Though I do have to say #1750999 is a pretty odd nut. Don't think it's him though.

[humbled_opinion]

11. The Latest is this is all Fake from the Pages Perspective

In other words the sources are saying that the Page that wrote the IM's was pulling a Prank that got out of hand that obviously doesn't relieve Foley of any guilt because he thought the Page was legit. But the Page it appears was 18 when these IM's took place that could be a bit tricky to call pedophilia unless there are other IM's with other Pages that we are not privy to.

[struggle4progress]

13. Gotta link for any of that?

[tandot]

18. Wow. So, Foley resigned because of a prank? Really?

He screwed up his career, came out as a "gay" man, confessed that he is an alcoholic and that he was molested as a teen, all because of a prank?

How ignorant and deranged must someone be to believe that crap? :rofl:

[humbled_opinion]

19. Obviously he didn't know it was a prank but the kid that wrote the IM's

is defending himself as not gay and saying that it was a prank... he has retained a lawyer because of the FBI probe that is about to happen.

[tandot]

20. "He didn't know it was a prank" and he resigned WHY???? Are you serious???

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Do you really think any DUer will buy that bullshit? Only stupid ass freepers would believe that shit.

Foley wanted to fuck children and right-wingers defend him. I guess for freepers, raping children is alright if it is done by a Republican. How precious.

[humbled_opinion]

21. That is what I said... read my post.

Foley is a pedophile no doubt. but the kid is not gay. Doesn't relieve Foley of his attempting to seduce a child but puts a different spin on it... I will wait for the investigation to be complete.... but it is not unbelievbale ... Foley would have resigned because he believed he was guilty of trying to seduce the kid... I am betting it was a Joke

[TheWatcher]

22. OK, OK, you've had your fun.

You've successfully spun the talking point behind enemy lines, and although no thinking person is going to buy it, your mission is now complete.

Now go back and tell the mouth-breathers what a brave little commando you are!

The adults are busy trying to save the country.

Thanks for the giggle!

[underpants]

12. Actually I think some RW bloggers tracked it down and THEY leaked it

via a mistake by ABC yes but this story is spin at least this version of it.

[Judi Lynn]

16. It's only fair that the name and address of the blogger who published

the page's I.D. so we may properly show him our endless admiration and gratitude, and extend so many expressions of appreciation.

Why should he hide within his cocoon of anonymity? It's time to come forward and accept his reward.

I REALLY hope we find out who and where "Wild Bill" is.

On edit:

It's only right that we should thank ABC for this additional benefit they've performed, coming so soon after their notable airing of the Clinton libel-fest in their right-wing fantasy piece on 9/11.