Originally Posted by orbitmic

Well, that's zero correct guesses out of two What I am referring to in terms of how I think that the OP has incited speculation is this:



And what I am referring to in terms of the forum biting is the various specific names and initials that have been volunteered as a guessed culprit.

I have no problem whatsoever with people highlighting the resemblance between the situation the OP describes and the case reported in the article linked upthread. What I am objecting to is people suggesting that it sounds like [specific person] was probably the person misbehaving.



To be honest, I have absolutely no idea why you feel targeted by my comments. As you rightly point out, you mad no such guesses, and my point was clearly about why I find it unwise to guess. I answered your post because you were the one asking me "why" I was suggesting that one shouldn't made those guesses and I do find it irresponsible and unhelpful to suggest that a specific person (be he/she famous or not) may well been guilty of what the OP described for exactly no reason. In that context, I am not trying to protect the forum but to resist a cycle whereby we end up collectively casting suspicion on innocents. It may not matter to you but it does to me.

For what it's worth, we cannot ignore the fact that Flyertalk is just a social medium in exactly the same way as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. There is plenty of research on the role played by such social media - often unwittingly and unintentionally - in become vectors of fake news through rumour. I cannot imagine anyone familiar with those particular studies not seeing the parallel with the ways some of the discussion on this particular thread has evolved.

In any case, I have said what I had to say on this front and do not plan on contributing to this thread further so you (or anyone else) can comfortably ignore my thoughts on the matter.