Sunday Link-Off: Don’t Sweat the Lawsuit

taylor-swift-instagram16-01Well, this has been an interesting week for the press. Over in the gaming world, you have Jim Sterling facing a $10 million lawsuit for being a games critics. Gawker just lost a $100 million lawsuit over its interpretation of the First Amendment. It makes you wonder why little outlets like this exist. All you have to do is say the wrong thing and someone could try to ruin your life with a multimillion lawsuit. Of course, when you’re a small site, you should probably get a nice letter first because the Streisand Effect is real.

Anyway, it’s Sunday which means it’s time for the links. Let’s kick off with the picture that took Reddit by storm and start with Taylor Swift.

Hulk Hogan won $115 million in his sex tape lawsuit against Gawker. Interestingly, the matter of the First Amendment as it relates to Hogan’s privacy wasn’t really considered by the trial judge. (Reuters)

Gawker is planning to appeal because a number of matters that were a part of an FBI investigation related to the sextape were sealed and not permitted to be shown in evidence to the jury. Now that they have been unsealed, Gawker has a stronger case. (New York Magazine)

Whether he takes the Oath of Office or not, Donald Trump has already had a major impact on American politics. (The Atlantic)

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Wednesday Link-Off: The Power of Editorial

alexandra-daddario-stndrd15-04So Gawker’s been raked through the coals for the Conde Nast story. What I don’t understand is how people are celebrating the editorial team leaving over the business team pulling the story. To me, it makes perfect sense. If editorial doesn’t get the final say over content, they can’t do their job and have to resign. It’ll sound somewhat ironic to most but Craggs and Read had to take a stand for the sake of their journalistic integrity. Few may be willing to applaud them but I will for that.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday so it’s time for us to do the Wednesday links. Let’s kick things off with Alexandra Daddario.

Some people won’t want you to hear this but Vancouver’s safe needle injection site has been a massive success so far. (MacLean’s)

Gawker execs pulled the Conde Nast story from their website. As a result of business interest interfering with editorial, Gawker Media’s executive editor Tommy Craggs and Gawker.com editor Max Read both resigned. (Gawker)

As a result of the interference with the editorial team, Gawker and Jezebel both went dark on Monday in protest. (New York Times)

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