2010.06.30 - KATU Confirming TH posting in its Comments Section

[greenbean]

I am also a serial poster. I think. And a cereal killer. Ha. Just finished breakfast.

I started using different usernames with no numbers or strange spellings after reading along in the Tori Stafford case. The folks posting on that one found all sorts of deviant stuff on the man accused of abducting and murdering her.

One poster there said that numbers and strange spellings make those names more individual to you.

I'm not terribly interesting but hey, maybe someday I will be...

 

[lillygator]

If someone posts about a crime, or threatened someone, or confessed to some crime I could see why they would have to disclose your information to LE. But to out someone to the public because they have suddenly come under intense public scrutiny is wrong on all level. I imagine they are going to regret outing her.

I doubt it, it is bringing in readership.

It was stated at the link that 5 days after Kyron disappeared, TH and Kaine were seen leaving the gym after a workout. Further stated that people called her actions "unbelievable."

Going by this, it appears that people were critical of TH for going to the gym for a workout. Well, if she and Kaine were leaving the gym together, did he go there for a workout too?

I wonder why the criticism of TH (before arrest, trial and conviction) and not KH too?

Can someone explain the difference to me, please?

he was not the last one seen with Kyron.

I'm not going to worry about it. She is not stupid and she has to have known that if she posts about the case using the hat commonly associated with her, referring to Terri Horman as "I" and alleging intimate knowledge of the case, she is going to be recognized and she wouldn't have done so if it was a concern for her. I think it was the point of the posts to get her voice heard.

me either - I am glad they out'ed her.

 

[Day Dreamer]

I just wanted to point something out here. Below is a statement from the article. They traced her user ID to her email, then to the ISP which was in Terri's name. There is no way to know FOR A FACT that Terri posted those comments.

I am sure anyone and everyone in the house use the same internet connection and/or comkputer regardless of which name it is listed in. Also, I stay signed into many sites online. Anyone could use my computer and comment under one of my user ID's. In that case, it would not actually be me that posted the comment.

It looks like the press will be digging for any little scrap they can get on Terri just to have something to report. I'm not sure I agree w/ that approach.

KATU News traced her user ID to an e-mail address, which it then traced to a professional Internet profile in the name of Terri Horman. The account was set up well before Kyron disappeared.

 

[LiveLaughLuv]

I believe ousting TH was a sleazy thing to do, many will not want to post on a site that does that, IMO..

They could have just informed LE and they could have kept a watch on her postings..Nothing incriminating was posted by her but very unethical of them...JMHO

JMHO

Where is Kyron???

 

[evelyn24]

It seems that some feel she outed herself by posting in the first person.

She was being "sleuthed" from the moment Kyron's story broke, to include her FB which clearly had references to and photos of her nickname.

Did it ever occur to anyone that someone could have signed up with that username and posted as 'Terri'? I'm no internet wizard, but I'm sure I could "sleuth" out nicknames used by any number of people involved in cases from the pages on this forum and begin posting 'insider' information around the net. Point being, until KATU went to such lengths to confirm this was indeed Terri (and they truly can't say it was her who actually posted these comments), there were only suspicions on the part of other posters that it could be her.

Whether KATU broke their own privacy policy or not, this was extremely unethical and damned sleazy to boot.

I'm sorry when she posted in the first person about the case and details yes, that is pretty much outing herself.

How else would you read it? Most people saw it like that when they read her posts waaaaaaaaaay before this site confirmed it.

 

[evelyn24]

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/kyron-horman-step-mother-hires-defense-attorney/story?id=11061509

Already being used to question and attack her.

Well...

It's not inappropriate for people to question her actions of posting on that site as herself and giving details about some things not in the news.
I'm not sure why people are so pressed over it, she did this to herself.

 

[tehcloser]

I read the ABC article. I saw them reporting news...not attacking.

 

[krazyfingerzz]

It seems that some feel she outed herself by posting in the first person.

She was being "sleuthed" from the moment Kyron's story broke, to include her FB which clearly had references to and photos of her nickname.

Did it ever occur to anyone that someone could have signed up with that username and posted as 'Terri'? I'm no internet wizard, but I'm sure I could "sleuth" out nicknames used by any number of people involved in cases from the pages on this forum and begin posting 'insider' information around the net. Point being, until KATU went to such lengths to confirm this was indeed Terri (and they truly can't say it was her who actually posted these comments), there were only suspicions on the part of other posters that it could be her.

Whether KATU broke their own privacy policy or not, this was extremely unethical and damned sleazy to boot.

Their privacy policy clearly states they can gather personal info, including that of your ISP, etc., and release that info. If course they specifically refer to releasing it to LE but also add that they're not obligated to do so. Further, they state that they are not liable in the event such information is released. I have no doubt they traced her IP, but she might have considered using a different ID to post. It is not likely they'd have looked through all of them. And one should never assume that anything said or done online is private. Doing IT for a living, and teaching it, I tell my students and my kids a few things. Read the AUP at work and school...you are being watched and what you do/where you go can cost you everything. Watch what you post online - it's there forever and can also cost you everything. In the end, these guys chose newsworthy as a reason to out a poster, which could, as has been said, have bern anyone in the house. From an ethical pov, journalistically, I waffle with their decision, but it all goes back to being fair game (all of us) online. Are there ways around this? Sure, but how many people feel the need to hide for no reason.

 

[evelyn24]

I read the ABC article. I saw them reporting news...not attacking.

Yes, I agree. Also in the big scheme of things this isn't that big of a deal.
It's not going to make or break this case. She didn't say anything of value, really.

 

[evelyn24]

Big difference between other posters suspecting it was her, and KATU outing her. How would you feel if people here began to suspect your real identity behind the username, and administration decided to announce that yep, we matched her email to a profile and it's ______ (fill in the blank with your real name).

Like I said, I could go right now and set up accounts and make myself appear to be anyone, and start posting 'insider' information. It certainly doesn't mean I am that person.

People KNEW it was her before this site said anything, because she outed herself by posting in the first person, using a name she is known for, and giving details on the case that were not in the news, the site just confirmed it.
It's not all that big of a deal like some major civil rights violation. I don't get the outrage when this is TH's own doing. She didn't know this case and her name were everywhere in the news, and posting the things she did under her well known nickname would cause and get a lot of attention?
Yea ok.

 

[CathyinTexas]

Don't know whether y'all have seen this yet.

http://www.katu.com/news/local/97541389.html

Don't know if anyone has commented on the fact that Kaine supposedly worked out that day also. Why not criticize him also, if in fact they both did work out at the gym? People have commented on how he lacked emotion in the presser and some have used phrases, such as, "he gives me the creeps". Also the fact he was home that day, and I can't imagine how that could be an alibi for the time after K went missing. We have heard that K's bio mom D wanted a divorce while pregnant, divorced Kaine shortly after K's birth and had a restraining order put on him, yet there isn't much speculation or comments about that. Just curious if anyone else has noted these details.

 

[Day Dreamer]

Big difference between other posters suspecting it was her, and KATU outing her. How would you feel if people here began to suspect your real identity behind the username, and administration decided to announce that yep, we matched her email to a profile and it's ______ (fill in the blank with your real name).

Like I said, I could go right now and set up accounts and make myself appear to be anyone, and start posting 'insider' information. It certainly doesn't mean I am that person.

BBM. I completely agree! What bothers me most is that, even thought they traced it back to Terri, they can NOT PROVE FOR A FACT that Terri is the one that posted that. Anyone w/ access to the house and computer could have posted that.

What if SM is innocent?

 

[Cher352]

SM is a serial poster (I mean one-who-posts).
I wonder what the psychologists have to say about that behavior?

I would imagine the same thing that they would say about. I mean we have a lot of what could be called serial posters here.

 

[evelyn24]

Don't know if anyone has commented on the fact that Kaine supposedly worked out that day also. Why not criticize him also, if in fact they both did work out at the gym? People have commented on how he lacked emotion in the presser and some have used phrases, such as, "he gives me the creeps". Also the fact he was home that day, and I can't imagine how that could be an alibi for the time after K went missing. We have heard that K's bio mom D wanted a divorce while pregnant, divorced Kaine shortly after K's birth and had a restraining order put on him, yet there isn't much speculation or comments about that. Just curious if anyone else has noted these details.

All these things are known, obviously because you know about them, and have been disgusted here by some posters.
I would like to think everyone in Kyrons life are being questioned including his dad.

 

[Day Dreamer]

People KNEW it was her before this site said anything, because she outed herself by posting in the first person, using a name she is known for, and giving details on the case that were not in the news, the site just confirmed it.
It's not all that big of a deal like some major civil rights violation. I don't get the outrage when this is TH's own doing. She didn't know this case and her name were everywhere in the news, and posting the things she did under her well known nickname would cause and get a lot of attention?
Yea ok.

BBM. In all fairness, I think anyone and everyone following this case knows her nickname. Obviously, friends and family would also be well aware of it.

It is possible Kaine posted that posing as Terri to make her look bad. We really have no way of knowing FOR A FACT who posted that comment. All we know FOR A FACT is that it was posted by someone in the Horman house that knew Terri's user ID.

 

[evelyn24]

BBM. I completely agree! What bothers me most is that, even thought they traced it back to Terri, they can NOT PROVE FOR A FACT that Terri is the one that posted that. Anyone w/ access to the house and computer could have posted that.

What if SM is innocent?

How do you know they didn't contact her? And if she is innocent there is nothing in her posts that I see of value regarding this case. She didn't say anything bad, it's just the act of posting and arguing with detractors is kind of screwy considering the bigger picture going on around her....imo of course.

 

[tehcloser]

If I'm TH, and after all the hoopla over my FB posts, and then I'm stoopid enough to post on a news site....I would expect to be outed. We are not talking about a news site outing Joe Blow....this woman IS the news and she knows it.

 

[sofia76]

BBM. I completely agree! What bothers me most is that, even thought they traced it back to Terri, they can NOT PROVE FOR A FACT that Terri is the one that posted that. Anyone w/ access to the house and computer could have posted that.

What if SM is innocent?

Innocent of what? Posting on the Internet?

 

[Day Dreamer]

How do you know they didn't contact her? And if she is innocent there is nothing in her posts that I see of value regarding this case. She didn't say anything bad, it's just the act of posting and arguing with detractors is kind of screwy considering the bigger picture going on around her....imo of course.

BBM. They told how they traced it back to Terri. Had they spoken to her and confirmed it was her I believe that would have been printed.

No, there isn't anything bad in what was posted. However, a lot of people are reading into the fact that she was online, reading, and posting. She is being widely criticized for this.

 

[cluciano63]

I would imagine the same thing that they would say about. I mean we have a lot of what could be called serial posters here.

Absolutely...