excelsiorlef
Member
An alleged Twitter troll behind a virtual attack that caused Newsweek senior writer Kurt Eichenwald to suffer a seizure was arrested on Friday for cyberstalking. The suspect faces federal charges and could face additional counts in Dallas, where Eichenwald lives, according to the writer.
What Mr. Rivello did with his Twitter message was no different from someone sending a bomb in the mail or sending an envelope filled with anthrax spores, Lieberman says. It wasnt the content of the communication that was intended to persuade somebody or make them feel badly about themselves; this was an electronic communication that was designed to have a physical effect.
On December 15, hours after Eichenwald appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight, the Twitter user @jew_goldstein tweeted a strobing image to the writer that allegedly said, You deserve a seizure. Later that night, in a reply to @jew_goldstein, a post appeared on the Eichenwalds Twitter feed that said, This is his wife, you caused a seizure. I have your information and have called the police to report the assault.
The next day, Eichenwald tweeted that he would be working with lawyers and law enforcement. Last night, for the second time, a deplorable aware I have epilepsy tweeted a strobe at me with the message you deserve a seizure on it, he wrote. It worked. This is not going to happen again. My wife is terrified. I am...disgusted.
Eichenwald had previously written for Newsweek about his being epileptic and about how another person had sent him a strobing message. That attack did not cause a seizure
This is great news, in a world where the internet is almost treated as not real life, it is a step forward in the actions (even on the net) having consequences department
In January, the individual behind the attack, named in court documents as John Doe, filed a motion to prevent Twitter from disclosing his identity. A lawyer for that person wrote in the motion that Eichenwald was making an attempt to use his suit to chill the First Amendment and further embarrass and harass Doe. Days later, Eichenwalds lawyer told the court that because they had figured out the identity of the assailant, they would withdraw the request for Twitters help.
Asshooles are so good at making themselves out to be the victim.
http://www.newsweek.com/kurt-eichenwald-twitter-seizure-arrest-john-rivello-569813