Internet Takes Smears Against Glenn Greenwald And Make It An Awesome Meme

from the #ggscandals dept

Thu, Jun 27th 2013 4:33am — Mike Masnick

Ah, the days when you love "the internet." We already wrote about how some in the mainstream media -- including the NY Times and the NY Daily News -- had decided to pursue what were clearly smear pieces on reporter Glenn Greenwald, who broke the NSA surveillance story with leaks from Ed Snowden. The smear campaign involved digging way back into the past and dredging up a couple of completely minor things that weren't newsworthy when they happened and aren't newsworthy now. What was encouraging was reading the comments on the NYDN piece, which we won't give traffic to by linking from here, where most of the commenters condemned the paper and the reporter for the smear campaign.

However, "the internet" knows how to take something stupid and turn it into an awesome meme. Witness the #ggscandals hashtag on Twitter, in which people are coming up with a variety of fake "scandals" that involved Glenn Greenwald, highlighting just how ridiculously petty the claims being levied against Greenwald really are. The tweets are coming fast and furious. Here's just a random sample of tweets that came in on the tag over the course of less than a minute:

In one simple move, a ton of people on the internet are showing the mainstream media that is trying to smear Greenwald what they think of them -- picking up on random tiny petty issues from his past and trying to make it out like it has any news value these days. Maybe, next time, instead of digging into Greenwald's past to try to make something out of nothing, reporters from the NY Times and the NY Daily News could, maybe, look into the NSA's surveillance efforts. You know, the story they didn't break and have been slow to report on.

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Filed Under: ggscandals, glenn greenwald, internet memes, ny daily news, ny times, smear campaign
Companies: ny daily news, ny times

47 Comments

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RyanNerd (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 5:00am

More evidence that "the media"
is owned and operated by government and corporate interests.
What's encouraging is to see that the pubic (at least in this instance) is not being fooled by this nonsense.
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- DannyB (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 5:31am
  
  Mainstream media -- selective coverage
  The evidence that got me was how silent major outlets were about SOPA until the blackout. Then CNN begrudgingly reported on it, but made sure to tell you that their parent company was in favor of SOPA.
  
  Now after the NSA scandal and how they've reported on it, I have lost any confidence I had.
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  - Ninja (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 5:40am
    
    Re: Mainstream media -- selective coverage
    I have lost any confidence I had.
    
    You still had any?
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    - fakeDannyB, 27 Jun 2013 @ 7:33am
      
      Re: Re: Mainstream media -- selective coverage
      Unfortunately, I'm unable to answer this question with any confidence.
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- Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 6:11am
  
  Re: More evidence that "the media"
  Indeed, 90% of the US media is owned by just 5 big corporations, hence a lack of any real diversity in US media.
  
  If you want real diversity in news, either read specialized online blogs, or foreign news websites. Even if the foreign news websites are owned by some of the same giant corporations, they're at least trying to cater to a different audience and culture.
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  - TheLastCzarnian (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 6:33am
    
    Re: Re: More evidence that "the media"
    And now you know why the government dropped the restrictions on single companies owning multiple networks in the same area.
    Free markets owned by a nanny government.
    The saddest part: the Bush administration started it. Even Republicans have no standing to complain.
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Ninja (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 5:21am

Glen Greenwald mass molested current owners of pro-Govt when they were kids. #ggscandals
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- Ninja (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 5:22am
  
  Re:
  pro Govt news outfits*
  
  Brain was faster than hands.
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- DannyB (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 5:32am
  
  Re:
  Glen Greenwald is also responsible for causing baldness and impotence.
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- TheLastCzarnian (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 6:40am
  
  Re:
  On August 6, 1994 Glen Greenwald washed and rinsed, but didn't repeat. #ggscandals
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  - Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 7:04am
    
    Re: Re:
    On the same day he wore white socks with black shoes!
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- whisk33, 27 Jun 2013 @ 7:19am
  
  Re:
  Glen Greenwald lies about flossing to his dentist #ggscandals
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- Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 8:22am
  
  Re:
  Glenn Greenwald once told his mommy that other kids were picking on him. #ggscandals
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Liz (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 5:25am

The NY Times is owned by News Corp (since 2007) which itself is owned by Rupert Murdoch. Another media outlet of News Corp/Murdoch is Fox News.

The content of both seems remarkably similar.
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- Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 6:10am
  
  Re:
  "The NY Times is owned by News Corp"
  
  I was unaware of this.
  There seem to be contradicting claims, for example wikipedia
  
  The Ochs-Sulzberger family trust controls roughly 88 percent of the company's class B shares. Any alteration to the dual-class structure must be ratified by six of eight directors who sit on the board of the Ochs-Sulzberger family trust. The Trust board members are Daniel H. Cohen, James M. Cohen, Lynn G. Dolnick, Susan W. Dryfoos, Michael Golden, Eric M. A. Lax, Arthur O. Sulzberger, Jr. and Cathy J. Sulzberger.[38]
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times#Ownership
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  - Liz (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 6:53am
    
    Re: Re:
    My mistake. Murdoch owns the NY Post and not the NY Times.
    
    The Wiki article you've linked mentions Murdoch in the Dual-class shares section just below. Which is what most likely stuck in my head when I composed my sleep-addled comment.
    
    I usually read more carefully when trying to confirm my own statements before hitting the Submit button.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Post#Murdoch_ownership
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- Ames Gilbert, 27 Jun 2013 @ 7:37am
  
  Re: ownership of NYT
  Actually, NYT is owned by the Ochs-Sulzberger family trust, which controls roughly 88 percent of the company's class B shares.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 6:17am

Character assassination, the go to propaganda technique when your narrative lacks substance. See petty, childish.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 7:31am

You'd think the media would still be up in arms at the government agencies for collecting information on their sources rather than siding with them on this...

What happened, did the NSA "promise" not to do it again in exchange for a smear campaign?
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- John Fenderson (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 9:11am
  
  Re:
  did the NSA "promise" not to do it again in exchange for a smear campaign?
  
  ...or did they promise not to notice the dirt their surveillance dug up on them?
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  - Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 9:49am
    
    Re: Re:
    More like the NSA threatened them with worse if they didn't publicly try to smear Greenwald. Making offers to people to play nice is not how the NSA rolls. They prefer using strong arm tactics to get their way.
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    - John Fenderson (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 11:36am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Point taken, although I would characterize extortion as a strong arm tactic, too.
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art guerrilla (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 7:33am

i heard glenn greenwald is SO mean...
...he actually expects so-called reporters to ACTUALLY DO THEIR JOBS ! ! !

how cruel and unusual is that...

art guerrilla
aka ann archy
eof
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Jason, 27 Jun 2013 @ 7:39am

A study of independent clauses reveals GG has used a comma splice not once, but three times in the month of June alone.
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Wolfy, 27 Jun 2013 @ 7:46am

And that is why I watch the BBC and AlJazeera for news. In the US, we didn't even HEAR about "Occupy Wall Street" for TWO WHOLE WEEKS. Corporate Amerika didn't want us to know about the protest against the people WHO TANKED THE ECONOMY...

A little aside.. if you're pissed at the big banks and wall street asshats, STOP USING YOUR PLASTIC... use a check or cash. Hit the fuckers where it hurts... the bottom line.
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St. Patrick, 27 Jun 2013 @ 7:50am

Glenn Greenwald...
...prefers the cookie part of an Oreo.

***

When Glenn Greenwald was working at McDonald's in his formative years, a customer once asked him for a medium soda and Glenn gave him a large.

***

Glenn Greenwald thinks The Godfather Part III is the best one.

***

Jar Jar Binks is Glenn Greenwald's favorite Star Wars character. Also, Glenn insists Greedo shot first.

I could do this all day, people.
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- Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 8:54am
  
  Re: Glenn Greenwald...
  "Jar Jar Binks is Glenn Greenwald's favorite Star Wars character. Also, Glenn insists Greedo shot first."
  
  Holy hell! We really can't trust anything he says then!
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LVDave (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 9:12am

Glenn Greenwald tore the "do-not-remove" tags off of pillows and mattresses... Arrest him!!!!!
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 9:13am

Again the main reason that like Wolfy, I no longer pay any attention to US MSM news. It's no longer relevant as a news source unless I want the government propaganda. If I want to know what is going on in the world, I have to get my news sources from other places.

Somehow MSM wants to cry that it's losing income and isn't any longer profitable. Well when eyeballs leave because you're no longer reporting on the news people want to know about, that's what happens.

The real reasons behind why news media is in dire straits now comes out. It has more to do with not reporting on the news that is real news than anything.
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LVDave (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 9:21am

Call me extremely puzzled why we haven't started referring to the MSM by their FAR more accurate name.. namely the defacto US Department of Propaganda.. They have been acting like a cabinet-level administration department since at least Clinton.. I recall distinctly hearing CNN referred to as the "Clinton News Network" back then... of course, now its the "Communist News Network"....
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Mattmon (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 9:24am

Glenn Greenwald once told a kid his fly was open, and then said "Made you look!"
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[citation needed or GTFO], 27 Jun 2013 @ 9:27am

Glenn Greenwald...
The 2013 version of Chuck Norris.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 9:33am

Glenn Greenwald changed his name to Rick James so he could slap handicap kids in the face.
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- Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 9:52am
  
  Re:
  Ok that was pretty damned funny.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 9:34am

Glenn Greenwald cannibalized three nuns while high on bath salts.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 9:42am

Glenn Greenwald invented aids.
Glenn Greenwald wants to bring back the 8-track.
Glenn Greenwald steals change from the homeless.

Erm! Lying is fun I can't stop myself! Damn you TD :(
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Presumptuous Insect, 27 Jun 2013 @ 11:41am

Well, mostly we were making shit up, but the MSM does that as well, so a fitting mockery of them.
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Uriel-238 (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 12:43pm

Brightened my day.
The internet wins an internet today.
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SirThoreth (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 1:15pm

Some say he knows two facts about ducks, and they're both wrong.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 1:30pm

Glenn Greenwald wears a Band-Aid to look tough.
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JohnnyRotten (profile), 27 Jun 2013 @ 1:40pm

NYDN is getting flamed in their comments
Just about 100% of the comments in the NYDN article are calling NYDN on their hit piece. I'm guessing whoever paid for the piece isn't going to happy with the result...
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2013 @ 3:49pm

I knew the DOJ was incompetent, I knew the MPAA dn the RIAA were liars, but to make Kim Dotcom look good and make people root for him is just too much.

These people accomplished the impossible, but shear stupidity alone that is incredible.

Bad news for every American law abiding citizen, but great for all pirates in the world.

LoL
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- Pj, 27 Jun 2013 @ 10:27pm
  
  Glen Greenwald secretly watches Michael Moore documentaries.
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  - Pj, 27 Jun 2013 @ 10:37pm
    
    Damn, I spelled Glenn wrong.
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Cj, 28 Jun 2013 @ 4:26am

Secret
I heard he secretly collected information on the NSA. Im not sure how true this really is though. LOL!!!
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Jason, 28 Jun 2013 @ 3:15pm

I hear that GG attended a congressional hearing, received a direct question, stared a senator in the face, and lied. AND he's even open about having done it.
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dennis deems (profile), 29 Jun 2013 @ 5:40pm

Fantastic commentary by Chris Hayes about the hypocritical treatment of GG by the media

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/all-in-/51362794#52336039
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