
CNN apologizes to Julian Assange after commentator calls him ‘a pedophile’ - angry-hacker
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/cnn-apologizes-assange-commentator-calls-pedophile-article-1.2935083
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jMyles
Putting aside for a moment the mechanism of this particular error (seemingly a
slip-of-the-tongue), how has "pedophile" become the "witch" of our age?

Not even "child-molester," mind you, but "pedophile."

My concern is that this phenomenon can quite easily be activated by fake
network traffic - it seems quite plausible to me that a person can be targeted
for demonization (or worse) simply by fabricating the appearance of child
pornography being transmitted, and now not only is the accusation very
difficult to disprove (and yes, the illusory nature of the presumption of
innocence is another related topic), but also casts the accused into the worst
possible social characterization.

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angry-hacker
Reminds me Daycare sex abuse and satanic ritual hysteria.[0]

First, it's hysteria and then it becomes some kind of a "regular insult". This
horrible name is being used so often that it has lost its meaning, which in
return if catastrophic for the real victims.

[0]:[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day-care_sex-
abuse_hysteria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day-care_sex-abuse_hysteria)

