Sony Pictures movie The Interview  | Ripoff Report Founder Ed Magedson Editorial comment on the controversy over Sony Pictures movie The Interview.  You have to “fight for your freedom of speech” ..Let Freedom Ring 

Ed Magedson, the Founder of the consumer advocacy website ripoffreport.com, has something to say about what has happened to Sony Pictures Entertainment (Sony) and their decision to hold The Interview from being released on December 25, 2014 as a response to cyber terrorism.  

If the national media reports are correct, North Korean agents have seized confidential communications and information from Sony Pictures, released embarrassing communications to show that they can cause public relations problems, and made demands.  One report by CBS News suggested that Sony, their employees, and their customers have all been victim of criminal assault and that all of the information stolen from them were done in an effort to destroy spirit and moral.  And for what?  Because they didn’t like a movie?  What is this world coming to?

Putting aside my strong belief that Koreados not have people smart  enough to pull this hack off , nor do I think they hired someone.  As a matter of fact, Kim Jong-un is likely a Hollywood fan and is loving every minute of getting the credit for this hack and flattered the film is about him.– I do think it is more likely, Korea was set up and the hackers are using N Korea to throw the US Government and American people off track. It’s so hard to track and so easy for hackers to make the hack look like it’s coming from elsewhere. The hack is all about proving hackers rule and those behind this will be doing more of it.  ..  I also believe this is likely the work of Russia – they are looking to instigate trouble for the US and what better way to take attention away from what they are doing in the Ukraine …  but, for the time being I will put these theories aside.



ED Magedson  - Founder, Ripoff Report

“damned if you do, damned if you don’t”
So, if it is North Korea, North Korean agents including terrorists and/or those making it look like its North Korea, could make violent attacks against theaters, and their theater goers, for failing to obey demands.  Yes, their information technology could be damaged.  Yes, there could be other consequences perhaps not yet contemplated.  All of that is possible.   Why do I have something to say about this you ask?  It’s because much of this situation is just like the ongoing scenarios with Ripoff Report, and we understand that Sony is stuck in a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” position. 

Ripoff Report is Damned if we do and Damned if we don’t…

Like Sony, Ripoff Report, its employees and vendors have all been targets (at one time or another…some still continuing) of some form of ongoing ridicule, false speculation, DDoS attacks, massive spam attacks, death threats and harassment.  And for what?  Generally it’s because some third-party wrote something on our website that someone else doesn’t like!  Seriously, these people act like WE wrote it and then conjure up all kinds of crazy stuff!  On a daily basis Ripoff Report suffers from copy-cat websites (mostly Russian) stealing Ripoff Reports content threatening nasty hate snail-mail, email and threatening phone calls to continued DDoS attacks and other malicious activity to frivolous lawsuits against Ripoff Report for something we didn’t even write…we too take the brunt of hate.  For example, right now, an unethical rogue Prosecutor in Iowa is believed to have teamed up with hackers and extortionists to harm Ripoff Report.  The Prosecutor seized confidential materials, released them to the hackers and extortionists, who then turned around and used them to manufacture bad publicity.  The hacker and extortionists are relentless in the way they threaten Ripoff Report and try to damage Ripoff Report’s supporters and customers.  Oh yes, I deal with these things often.  Of course, and it goes without saying, that for every person that is pissed because of something that got posted on our website there is someone on the other end pissed because we refused to post something.  Again, damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

So how does Ripoff Report deal with it?  We keep on keepin’ on!  Ripoff Report, as discussed, is no stranger to constant threats of attack – some of which include violent threats.  Ripoff Report has decided, in order to protect free speech for consumers, and the freedom of expression on the internet, that we will take the risk and continue to do what we do – in spite of the threats.  Just as any one of the tyrant attackers of Sony could do something crazy, any single nut job that is a critic of Ripoff Report, or those who follow fanatically the other critics of Ripoff Report, could also do something crazy.  Trust me, there are plenty of instigators out there.  But we must not give in nor cower to the threats from these critics…for that would be allowing them to win.

Sony is Damned if they do and Damned if they don’t… 

On one hand, right now it seems that most people (like me) are pissed off because Sony decided not to release the film.  After all, they have only been teasing us with trailers for months!  So you have the group of folks who are fully aware of potential consequences, who don’t care about the threats, who really want to see the movie!  We all know that there is some level of risk for something bad to happen to us every day.  We could get in an accident while driving to work.  Some nut job could go rogue in a coffee shop that we might happen to be visiting.  This kind of stuff is in the news all of the time…  So now, Sony has people pissed because they feel that they are cowering to the threats.

THE REAL DANGER

On the other hand, let’s say Sony does ignore all the threats. And let’s go further to assume the worst and that something did actually happen, and that perhaps lives were lost and damage was done.  If this happens then people would turn around and say that Sony is nothing more than a money hungry enterprise that has absolutely zero regard for danger to human life.  Sony is stuck!  They are in a damned if they do, damned if they don’t.

Recommendation to Sony… 

Ripoff Report says to Sony, to theaters, and Americans: Stand and fight, America. 

Figure out how to endure and counterattack. 

Do not cower.  Do not hide, and do not give in.  

Fight for your freedom of speech. 

Show the “Interview,” broadcast it, stream it, play it in theaters and Blue Ray players and on iPhones during subway commutes.  Laugh with it, but most important, laugh at the pathetic North Korean tyrants or HACKERS for hire who don’t want you to be free.  Because no matter what else they do to you, you can be free to your last breath and they can’t take that from you unless you give it up.

Let the public determine whether or not they want to go see the movie and simply be ready to deal with problems if and when a problem truly arises.  Of course, this means that everyone, Americans, Theaters, and Sony, need to be prepared for consequences. But we can’t hide under a rock and let the tyrants have their way – for that would be to let them win.  North Korea doesn’t rule America!  …  that is, if North Korea actually is responsible. My bet is on the Russians did it.

Freedom isn’t free, but it is worth the fight.  American freedom depends on it. Let Freedom Ring.  Let’s see The Interview!

Written by,

Ed Magedson - Founder - RipoffReport.com


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