We've already seen a few shockingly boundless posts on The Dirty. We know that many of the posts are about completely innocent people that were seemingly going about their daily lives. In fact, some of the people didn't even know the photos were being taken of them.
An American sportscaster named Erin Andrews was filmed through a hotel peephole in July 2009 by a man named Michael David Barrett, who was later caught and sentenced to 30 months in prison for stalking Ms. Andrews. But before he was caught, he sent the video to The Dirty.
Andrew's lawyers sent an email to Nik Richie asking him to take down the video and photos. Nik not only refused, but he also reposted the photo's with an added personal message.
"Erin Andrews, can you ask your lawyers if this is the post they want me to take down because I am confused?”.
To this day, the photos and video are still very available.
It's apparent that our privacy Rights are carelessly being compromised at The Dirty. It is happening anonymously and with no possible way of punishing the thousands of offenders. So far, because of his CDA immunity, Nik is not held responsible for the comments or posts that are submitted.
But when will it all go too far?
If for example, a couple from Ohio wanted to have a wild orgy in their barn at 2am on a Sunday morning, it is their Right to do so without the threat of the public's knowledge and their inevitable subsequent opinions. If that couple were on the front page of the town newspaper the next morning, it would be a gross invasion of privacy.
There is a reason that we have laws, a justice system, privacy rights and curtains.
One of the ideals that Nik Richie uses to defend the website is that it is holding people accountable for their actions. He says that justice is served because people need to know if a person is malicious in nature. When it comes to criminals being outed, the justice system is there for a reason and it is not up to Nik Richie to be a vigilante.
I do believe that the media provides information that is of public interest and that is very important, but that is not what The Dirty has become. Consider a politician that has had three DUI's. That particular story is of public interest because the citizens need to know about the nature of that person. Some of the people posted on thedirty.com are legitimate stories at the very least but if they are news stories, the website should be treated as a news website and should be held to the same standards of expectations.
What about the 16 year old girl with the ill-advised spray tan or the 24 year old man that had a nasty break-up with a vindictive ex-girlfriend? What justice did those posts serve? Why were those stories of public interest? While trying to help the few, The Dirty has hurt many. And it was not their right to do so.
What's more, I personally do not believe that Nik has put this website together with a clean conscience. I think that he is a marketing genius and he knows what drives traffic to a website. Nik Richie is not some brave vigilante, riding a white horse into the mists of Avalon, saving North America from the villians with bad breast implants. Nik Richie is a man that has found a way to make an extraordinary amount of money by exploiting America's love for dirty gossip.
In this blogger's opinion, Nik Richie knows it's gone too far and he is laughing all the way to the bank.
Until next time,
Em xo
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