Erin Andrews Nude Video Means We Should Regulate The Internet?

from the please-explain dept

In talking yesterday about the legality of viewing the "spy camera" footage of sportscaster Erin Andrews in her hotel room, someone pointed out in the comments that some journalists are now claiming that this shows why the internet needs to be regulated. Wait, what? How? Why? Creating the video was already illegal. What kind of regulation is needed here and how would it actually change anything? It seems that any time something "bad" happens some people suddenly jump up and insist "their oughta be a law!" without actually thinking through what that actually means.

Meanwhile, some others have noticed that this video apparently has been online for many months, and no one paid any attention at all to it until ESPN made a big deal out of it. Now, you can understand ESPN's general position, but it makes you wonder if there wasn't a better way to handle this that could have involved tracking down who was responsible without putting out a big press release and kicking off all this interest in the video. It's almost as if (perish the thought!), ESPN is actually trying to exploit this situation (and Andrews) to draw more attention to itself...
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: erin andrews, regulations, video
Companies: espn


Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  • identicon
    RD, 24 Jul 2009 @ 4:17pm

    Yes! OF Course!

    Yes...because it CAN BE PUT ON the internet, its the FAULT OF THE INTERNET.

    Seriously, do ANY of these idiots even understand HOW the internet works? It's not RESPONSIBLE for ANYTHING. Its a tool, at best; technically its just a set of communications protocols. It enables things, but its not the CAUSE of these behaviors. Sheesh, what kind of a backwards, luddite, Salem-witch-hunt country is this becoming?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Chronno S. Trigger (profile), 24 Jul 2009 @ 4:32pm

      Re: Yes! OF Course!

      "technically its just a set of communications protocols."

      That's a vary good point. It's a platform that the tools are built upon. It's like going after the steel manufactures that make the bars that the gun was made out of.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 24 Jul 2009 @ 5:13pm

        Re: Re: Yes! OF Course!

        Technically a gun is just a controlled gunpowder demolition system, and newspapers are just organized tree fibre sheets.

        The issue isn't "the internet" as a thing, it is "the internet" as it operates. If a posted video came with a trace back to the original poster, let me assure you that you would have never seen that video online. The anonymous nature of the internet is it's major weakness in the end, allowing all sorts of e-scammers and e-vandals to come online every day and do the equivalent of rioting or painting graffiti on the Lincoln memorial, with the near total assurance that nobody will ever track them down.

        Until that changes, the internet is the wild west all over again.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 24 Jul 2009 @ 5:18pm

          Re: Re: Re: Yes! OF Course!

          what ?

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          scarr (profile), 24 Jul 2009 @ 5:20pm

          Re: Re: Re: Yes! OF Course!

          ...says the person who posts anonymously.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          SuperNig, 26 Jul 2009 @ 8:31am

          Re: Re: Re: Yes! OF Course!

          This is hogwash. Stupidity is as old as humanity. In the past 5000 years of "civilization" no law has changed that fact. The internet is a medium. Not very diferent than the phone or smoke signals for that matter. There are already ways to track people's actions online. LEAVE THE INTERNET ALONE. The issue here is the titilative value of the naked human form in society. Deal with the cause, not the medium.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Jim Gaudet, 25 Jul 2009 @ 4:43am

        Re: Re: Yes! OF Course!

        Great analogy. Sometimes speaking in analogies is the only way to get someone to understand your point...

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      dan, 6 Aug 2009 @ 4:26pm

      Re: Yes! OF Course!

      I finally found the thing, most of the sites I've seen are scams but they're streaming the video over at http://408passion.com/watch282.html (it's free but I have no idea how long it'll stay up obviously)

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    scarr (profile), 24 Jul 2009 @ 4:31pm

    The guy also said "Less well-known sites also aired the video and the New York Post ... printed a grainy clip from the video." Clearly the guy doesn't understand what the internet is and is not.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    RD, 24 Jul 2009 @ 4:54pm

    Exactly

    "That's a vary good point. It's a platform that the tools are built upon. It's like going after the steel manufactures that make the bars that the gun was made out of."

    Exactly! If this were the case, then you need to "stop" AT&T because "bad things" happen on their phone network, or you need to "do something" about sporting goods stores because thats where the guns are sold.

    It's time for the return of personal responsibility to the world.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Sailingmaster (profile), 24 Jul 2009 @ 5:44pm

    Mike, you're forgetting the cardinal rule of crisis management...

    When in danger or in doubt,
    run in circles, scream and shout!

    That's all this really is.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      TPBer (profile), 25 Jul 2009 @ 6:54am

      Re: Mike, you're forgetting the cardinal rule of crisis management...

      You forgot waving your arms and hands uncontrollably :)

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 24 Jul 2009 @ 5:49pm

    Darn skippy!

    I need a fast, easy way to find a video of Erin that is not loaded with trojans and whathaveyou. The government needs to do something!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Dave Beck, 25 Jul 2009 @ 9:33am

    I don't live in the US, who is Erin Andrews?

    Perhaps the other 4 billion people have an interest in whether the Internet is regulated. In England this is called a "tempest in a teacup", a largely (on a worldwide basis) unknown person has an innocuous but embarrassing video posted on the 'Net. The person is a journalist?, so journalists are outraged. Remind me, who cares?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    j, 25 Jul 2009 @ 12:15pm

    regulate...

    Insignificant people say stupid things all the time on basic cable channels.

    Next time that happens, the best option is to ignore the fool and write something more important.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    G P, 25 Jul 2009 @ 2:41pm

    Internet Humiliation

    Internets don't humiliate people...

    People humiliate people.


    ==GP==

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Bradley Stewart, 25 Jul 2009 @ 2:42pm

    Not Only Haven't I Seen This Video

    but I Haven't even looked for it. A Colony of Space Aliens seen from one of our high powered telescopes going through their daily routines. Yeah this would peak my interest but a video of some naked sportscaster. EH, so what. For anyone who hasen't figured this out yet, basicly we have two body types on this planet. One of the two each of us has. For most of us we have already seen the other one.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    G P, 25 Jul 2009 @ 2:54pm

    Internet Humiliation

    Internets don't humiliate people...

    People humiliate people.


    ==GP==

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Floyd, 25 Jul 2009 @ 10:59pm

    They'll use anything

    To talk about regulation, regulate this and regulate that and oh by the way one country does it fairly well, it's called China.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    mike, 27 Jul 2009 @ 8:20pm

    erin andrews nude

    ESPM probably released footage for a publicty stunt
    see erin andrews nude
    http://www.nordicnude.com/index.php/2009/02/04/blonde-camgirl/

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Van, 29 Jul 2009 @ 12:03pm

    We Should Regulate The Internet!

    The maker of the video has broken law(s) in its making. Despite their disregard of other statues and regulations, they would surely honor regulation regarding the internet.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jul 2009 @ 6:12pm

    There shouldn't be any regulations on the internet. Any luck finding this video? It is sweet.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    James, 31 Jul 2009 @ 8:40pm

    Erin Andrews video

    If you take the time to watch the video, the girl is curling her hair in the nude?!?! Now I am not Hugh Hefner or anything but I have lived with a few girls in my 40+ years, and some of them were nicer looking than this girl, IMHO. One thing I NEVER saw them do was curl their hair in the nude.
    As I was watching the video I also noticed she is checking out her own butt in the mirror and kind of doing a little bouncing up and down thing here and there - all in the nude mind you, while doing her hair, with a HOT IRON in her hand.
    Something else that didn't click - this girl bends over and MAGICALLY the cam in the "peep hole" DESCENDS - now I don't know what kind of "peep-hole" was in the door, but a peep-hole that slides up and down?!?!? I find that to be a first in my 40+ years as well.
    Based on these 2 things - and the fact that my wife said the video looked like she was "playing to the camera" I have come to the conclusion that little Erin in looking for some attention.
    I kind think this video might be a bit of a staged up fake, but hey maybe not?!?! I wasn't there - and if I had been I sure would not have wasted video space on flat chest here. ;)

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Thomas Mathews, 30 Jul 2010 @ 4:07pm

    Bad Press is Good Press

    It's pretty obvious why ESPN made such a big deal out of this story and Ms Andrews will probably get a raise now that more people will be tuning into broadcasts that involve her. Wouldn't be a bit surprised if the criminal that made the video gets compensated as well.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    siva, 18 Apr 2011 @ 7:01pm

    sex nude videous

    link to this | view in chronology ]


Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.