CNN / Reddit controversy: Is anonymity really possible online?

CNN drew criticism Tuesday when the network, already emblazed in controversy, decided to publicly expose the Reddit user behind President Trump’s animated GIF. The short meme shows Trump, prior to running for office, assaulting pro wrestler and WWE CEO Vince McMahon whose face is replaced by CNN’s logo. The GIF was released last Wednesday and retweeted by President Trump, which also drew criticism accusing the president of cyberbullying.

Andrew Kaczynski, a political reporter for CNN, revealed the Reddit user behind the Trump wrestling GIF as “HanA**holeSolo” who is also being accused of inciting violence against the network.

A day after CNN outed "HanA**holeSolo," the Reddit user issued a lengthy apology for the video and other offensive content he had previously posted before deleting his posts.

This morning on “Pat & Stu,” Stu Burguiere questions the negative reaction to CNN’s decision to out the user. “Is it right for CNN to go find this anonymous poster’s identity and look through his old posts and out him in a news story because the president tweeted his video?” he wondered, then going on to point out that there is never any guarantee of privacy when you post online.

This comes after #CNNBlackMail began trending on Twitter which accuses the network of violating ethics and bullying the creator of the Trump wrestling meme.

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