ST Alpha - "Ultimately, my thinking is that this isn't much different from what a legal investigator would do when, say, verifiying an insurance claim." (Reading a Post)

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In response to "Discuss this ethical quandary from Italy: Author has been writing books for years, has given written interviews but no book tours, wants anonymity" by Max

Ultimately, my thinking is that this isn't much different from what a legal investigator would do when, say, verifiying an insurance claim.

Posted by Roger More (aka rogermore) Oct 3 '16, 14:39

Looking at financial records, property records, etc. So it's hard to say that what the journalist did was ethically wrong.

There's definitely an element of "I get to be the guy who solves this mystery", just as there is with the search for Banksy, or Satoshi Nakamoto.

And there's also an element of disrespect. Say we're not talking about an author who wants to be anonymous, but a known author who wants to be a recluse, a JD Salinger or Harper Lee type. It's disrespectful for the author to track down where that person lives, turn up on their doorstep unannounced and request an interview. It's like sending someone a spam message.

Responses:

yeah, I could agree with that in this case. Less so in the case of Primary Colors. - Max Oct 3, 14:44 1
- for me, the only possible unfairness towards james frey was how she went at him as if he had done something truly heinous vs. being a liar in what was - b. Oct 3, 14:49
The link within the link covers this a bit... -- (link) - . Oct 3, 14:43 [Backboard]

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Ultimately, my thinking is that this isn't much different from what a legal investigator would do when, say, verifiying an insurance claim.

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