TITLE:
Guilt Plain To See
VALIDITY:
Free press, neither very low or very high right to privacy,
DESCRIPTION:
Tabloid newspaper The Diurnal Mail recently published a list of sex offenders' names and addresses -- leaked, they said, from the government's registry. Angry citizens then took it on themselves to enact "justice", mailing death threats, hurling eggs and bricks at windows, and in one incident delivering a fatal beating. However, it has since emerged that the list wasn't even a genuine one, and was actually the membership roll of a fly-fishing club, anonymously sent in by an unknown prankster.
OPTION 1
"The problem here is idiotic vigilantism," opines @@randomfemalename@@, renowned feminist author. "I blame movies and media, with their glorification of angry superheroes and rogue cops. To improve our culture we must teach our children about the dangers of toxic masculinity, and force film-makers to send more positive messages. Less violent retribution, more sensible restitution!"
OUTCOME:
movie super-hero teams save the world by finding sensible compromises with their enemies
OPTION 2
"Clearly this is the fault of journos not checking their facts," argues self-appointed 'Consumer Watchdog' @@randommalename@@, tossing a bag of stained clothes and a broken cricket bat onto a bonfire of tabloid newspapers. "They put out bad information, so they killed that innocent man. You should be beating down on fake news, make the media pay for their lies."
OUTCOME:
newspapers that contain incorrect weather forecasts are branded as criminals
OPTION 3
"The fact that edition sold so well shows that the people wanted this information," defends Mail journalist @@randomname@@. "If you, the government, were more transparent in allowing the public to access your registry of sex offenders, then we wouldn't have been forced to look for one. So it's your fault - take some responsibility!"
OUTCOME:
lynch mobs can use a government-sponsored app to locate their victims
OPTION 4
"The problem here is that the registry exists at all," rants former school-teacher @@randomname@@, who was dismissed from @@HIS@@ post last year under hushed-up circumstances. "You're implying that there's a category of people defined by a single mistake. That creates legal and social prejudice. Stop tracking criminal records, and let people be judged for who they are now, not what they might have done in the past."
OUTCOME:
many swimming instructors are former teachers
FIRST DRAFT: