How Acceptable Was Anonymous Speculation About Snowden’s Laptops?

[Kevin_Kennedy]

It’s the story that just won’t quit: The tale of Edward J. Snowden and his leak of classified information about the United States government’s secret surveillance of citizens.

Rife with skirmishes and subplots, overflowing with schadenfreude, one-upsmanship and bruised egos, it’s also a matter of extraordinary national and global importance.

One of the latest developments is the question of whether Mr. Snowden – as was suggested in a Times article on June 24 – may have unwittingly provided classified information to China.

How Acceptable Was Anonymous Speculation About Snowden's Laptops? - NYTimes.com

In other words, it was merely baseless speculation and it spread around as if it were established fact. There is no evidence that Snowden's laptops were drained by any government.

 

[nodoginnafight]

I agree that we cannot be 100% certain about this. But if a decision hinged on it, I would have to make my decision based on the belief that they have everything.

IMHO - it's a huge stretch to try to argue that they don't. But you are correct. We don't KNOW with absolute certainty.

So that speculation doesn't really bother me that much. It should be properly qualified, however.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I agree that we cannot be 100% certain about this. But if a decision hinged on it, I would have to make my decision based on the belief that they have everything.

IMHO - it's a huge stretch to try to argue that they don't. But you are correct. We don't KNOW with absolute certainty.

So that speculation doesn't really bother me that much. It should be properly qualified, however.

I think it would be one thing for the administration to operate under the assumption that all of this information is compromised, but it's entirely different for the press to throw out baseless accusations from anonymous sources. Especially when they don't make it clear that it is indeed nothing more than speculation, thus leading to the belief that this is an established fact.

 

[nodoginnafight]

I agree that we cannot be 100% certain about this. But if a decision hinged on it, I would have to make my decision based on the belief that they have everything.

IMHO - it's a huge stretch to try to argue that they don't. But you are correct. We don't KNOW with absolute certainty.

So that speculation doesn't really bother me that much. It should be properly qualified, however.

I think it would be one thing for the administration to operate under the assumption that all of this information is compromised, but it's entirely different for the press to throw out baseless accusations from anonymous sources. Especially when they don't make it clear that it is indeed nothing more than speculation, thus leading to the belief that this is an established fact.

I agree in principle. Speculation should always be properly labeled.
It's just hard for me to consider this "baseless accusations." I think of it as "pretty safe to assume - but an assumption nontheless."

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I agree that we cannot be 100% certain about this. But if a decision hinged on it, I would have to make my decision based on the belief that they have everything.

IMHO - it's a huge stretch to try to argue that they don't. But you are correct. We don't KNOW with absolute certainty.

So that speculation doesn't really bother me that much. It should be properly qualified, however.

I think it would be one thing for the administration to operate under the assumption that all of this information is compromised, but it's entirely different for the press to throw out baseless accusations from anonymous sources. Especially when they don't make it clear that it is indeed nothing more than speculation, thus leading to the belief that this is an established fact.

I agree in principle. Speculation should always be properly labeled.
It's just hard for me to consider this "baseless accusations." I think of it as "pretty safe to assume - but an assumption nontheless."

If there's no evidence other than "I think this is very likely," then it is baseless speculation.