Aa
Newspaper sparks outrage for publishing names, addresses of gun permit holders
(CNN) -- An interactive map showing the names and addresses of all handgun permit holders in New York's Westchester and Rockland counties has infuriated many readers since it was posted Saturday on a newspaper's website.
The map, published by The Journal News, allows readers to zoom in on red dots that indicate which residents are licensed to own pistols or revolvers. It had prompted more than 1,700 comments as of Wednesday morning.
Blue dots indicate permit holders who "have purchased a firearm or updated the information on a permit in the past five years."
"So should we start wearing yellow Stars of David so the general public can be aware of who we are??" one commenter wrote.
"This is crazy!" wrote another.
Fiery debate over guns in America Gun control and the 2nd Amendment Fareed's Take: Gun control
Opinion: Guns endanger more than they protect
Some of those responding threatened to cancel their subscriptions or boycott the publication.
"I hope you lose readers now," one wrote.
The paper's publisher, Janet Hasson, president of the Journal News Media Group, defended the decision in a statement Wednesday.
"One of our roles is to report publicly available information on timely issues, even when unpopular. We knew publication of the database (as well as the accompanying article providing context) would be controversial, but we felt sharing information about gun permits in our area was important in the aftermath of the Newtown shootings," she said.
The newspaper also said it had wanted to publish even more information.
"We were surprised when we weren't able to obtain information on what kinds and how many weapons people in our market own," the newspaper said in a statement.
County clerks' offices had told the paper that "the public does not have the right to see specific permits an individual has been issued, the types of handguns a person possesses or the number of guns he or she owns," the statement said. "Had we been able to obtain those records, we would have published them."
The map came about in the wake of the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, The Journal News said.
"In the past week, conversation on our opinion pages and on our website, LoHud.com, has been keenly focused on gun control," the newspaper's editor and vice president, CynDee Royle, said in a statement Tuesday.
The names and addresses of the two counties' permit-holding residents were obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. The website notes that the map does not indicate whether the residents own handguns, only that they are legally able to, and that the data do not pertain to rifles or shotguns, which can be bought without a permit.
NRA doubles down: New gun laws won't work
Still, hundreds of residents were shocked to see their information posted without their being notified. Some said the map would prompt burglaries because thieves are now aware of where weapons might be found.
"Now everyone knows where the legal guns are kept, a valuable piece of information for criminals," a commenter wrote. "Why don't you do something helpful, like trying to find out where the illegal guns are kept?"
A great majority of readers commenting at CNN.com were opposed to the newspaper's move, but some defended it on the grounds that the public has a right to know who might own weapons.
One commenter wrote: "If you're a gun owner it's a matter of public record. If you're embarrassed by your gun, get rid of it. I have a car and a house -- they're no secret. People contact me all the time trying to sell me stuff. I don't expect a right to privacy for these things."
Another wrote, "Every gun manufactured, transferred, and sold should be on the internet, all on one website, including date of purchase, current owner, stored location, and gun license number."
Several Twitter commenters also came out in support in tweets to CNN:
-- "The gun permit maps are an effective way of showing how horribly widespread gun ownership is."
-- "please thank them. This could be a turning point. I do not want my daughter playing in a house with guns."
-- "LOVE the Gun License map! Excellent information to anyone concerned with who they live around!"
The Journal News argued that residents have a right to access information regarding weapon holders in Westchester and Rockland communities.
"Our readers are understandably interested to know about guns in their neighborhoods," Royle said in her statement.
In an article about the uproar, The Journal News says many of the thousands of people who "have taken to their computers and phones in rage" live outside the counties covered by the map.
In searching through hundreds of comments listed on the website, CNN did not immediately see any in support of the newspaper's decision to publish the interactive map.
The Journal News said it published an article in 2006 that received similar responses, but this time around, social media spread the story far and wide.
In 2007, roanoke.com, the website of The Roanoke Times, published a list of Virginians licensed to carry concealed weapons, and then deleted it the next day. The paper explained that the list, originally published as part of an opinion column, was removed "out of concern that it might include names that should not have been made public."
The Poynter Institute, a school for journalists, notes that some other news agencies have published various types of databases as well.
"Publishing gun owners' names makes them targets for theft or public ridicule. It is journalistic arrogance to abuse public record privilege, just as it is to air 911 calls for no reason or to publish the home addresses of police or judges without cause," Al Tompkins, a Poynter senior faculty member, said in a statement Wednesday. "Unwarranted publishing of the names of permitted owners just encourages gun owners to skip the permitting."
The paper said Royle was not available for interviews Wednesday.
Little common ground between pro- and anti-gun forces
http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/25/us/new-york-gun-permit-map/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
The map, published by The Journal News, allows readers to zoom in on red dots that indicate which residents are licensed to own pistols or revolvers. It had prompted more than 1,700 comments as of Wednesday morning.
Blue dots indicate permit holders who "have purchased a firearm or updated the information on a permit in the past five years."
"So should we start wearing yellow Stars of David so the general public can be aware of who we are??" one commenter wrote.
"This is crazy!" wrote another.
Fiery debate over guns in America Gun control and the 2nd Amendment Fareed's Take: Gun control
Opinion: Guns endanger more than they protect
Some of those responding threatened to cancel their subscriptions or boycott the publication.
"I hope you lose readers now," one wrote.
The paper's publisher, Janet Hasson, president of the Journal News Media Group, defended the decision in a statement Wednesday.
"One of our roles is to report publicly available information on timely issues, even when unpopular. We knew publication of the database (as well as the accompanying article providing context) would be controversial, but we felt sharing information about gun permits in our area was important in the aftermath of the Newtown shootings," she said.
The newspaper also said it had wanted to publish even more information.
"We were surprised when we weren't able to obtain information on what kinds and how many weapons people in our market own," the newspaper said in a statement.
County clerks' offices had told the paper that "the public does not have the right to see specific permits an individual has been issued, the types of handguns a person possesses or the number of guns he or she owns," the statement said. "Had we been able to obtain those records, we would have published them."
The map came about in the wake of the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, The Journal News said.
"In the past week, conversation on our opinion pages and on our website, LoHud.com, has been keenly focused on gun control," the newspaper's editor and vice president, CynDee Royle, said in a statement Tuesday.
The names and addresses of the two counties' permit-holding residents were obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. The website notes that the map does not indicate whether the residents own handguns, only that they are legally able to, and that the data do not pertain to rifles or shotguns, which can be bought without a permit.
NRA doubles down: New gun laws won't work
Still, hundreds of residents were shocked to see their information posted without their being notified. Some said the map would prompt burglaries because thieves are now aware of where weapons might be found.
"Now everyone knows where the legal guns are kept, a valuable piece of information for criminals," a commenter wrote. "Why don't you do something helpful, like trying to find out where the illegal guns are kept?"
A great majority of readers commenting at CNN.com were opposed to the newspaper's move, but some defended it on the grounds that the public has a right to know who might own weapons.
One commenter wrote: "If you're a gun owner it's a matter of public record. If you're embarrassed by your gun, get rid of it. I have a car and a house -- they're no secret. People contact me all the time trying to sell me stuff. I don't expect a right to privacy for these things."
Another wrote, "Every gun manufactured, transferred, and sold should be on the internet, all on one website, including date of purchase, current owner, stored location, and gun license number."
Several Twitter commenters also came out in support in tweets to CNN:
-- "The gun permit maps are an effective way of showing how horribly widespread gun ownership is."
-- "please thank them. This could be a turning point. I do not want my daughter playing in a house with guns."
-- "LOVE the Gun License map! Excellent information to anyone concerned with who they live around!"
The Journal News argued that residents have a right to access information regarding weapon holders in Westchester and Rockland communities.
"Our readers are understandably interested to know about guns in their neighborhoods," Royle said in her statement.
In an article about the uproar, The Journal News says many of the thousands of people who "have taken to their computers and phones in rage" live outside the counties covered by the map.
In searching through hundreds of comments listed on the website, CNN did not immediately see any in support of the newspaper's decision to publish the interactive map.
The Journal News said it published an article in 2006 that received similar responses, but this time around, social media spread the story far and wide.
In 2007, roanoke.com, the website of The Roanoke Times, published a list of Virginians licensed to carry concealed weapons, and then deleted it the next day. The paper explained that the list, originally published as part of an opinion column, was removed "out of concern that it might include names that should not have been made public."
The Poynter Institute, a school for journalists, notes that some other news agencies have published various types of databases as well.
"Publishing gun owners' names makes them targets for theft or public ridicule. It is journalistic arrogance to abuse public record privilege, just as it is to air 911 calls for no reason or to publish the home addresses of police or judges without cause," Al Tompkins, a Poynter senior faculty member, said in a statement Wednesday. "Unwarranted publishing of the names of permitted owners just encourages gun owners to skip the permitting."
The paper said Royle was not available for interviews Wednesday.
Little common ground between pro- and anti-gun forces
http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/25/us/new-york-gun-permit-map/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
"if I want to know if there are guns where my children are going for a playdate (never even thought of looking into that . . . . hm)-- I can make the effort to look it up." Why not just ask the parents if they own guns? LOL
"Let's do a map of who is behind in their property taxes next!" No maps, but my county publishes a list of those who have not paid their property taxes on time...... all you have to do is google the addresses and you got it.
"Let's do a map of who is behind in their property taxes next!" No maps, but my county publishes a list of those who have not paid their property taxes on time...... all you have to do is google the addresses and you got it.
We are now equating gun owners to sexual predators I guess. Yeesh.
As said above, if I want to know if there are guns where my children are going for a playdate (never even thought of looking into that . . . . hm)-- I can make the effort to look it up.
This is dumb journalism. Waste of space in the paper. Let's do a map of who is behind in their property taxes next!
Anyway, just not sure what they were trying to accomplish here.
(and agree Teko, I do believe semi and autmatic weapons should be banned.)
As said above, if I want to know if there are guns where my children are going for a playdate (never even thought of looking into that . . . . hm)-- I can make the effort to look it up.
This is dumb journalism. Waste of space in the paper. Let's do a map of who is behind in their property taxes next!
Anyway, just not sure what they were trying to accomplish here.
(and agree Teko, I do believe semi and autmatic weapons should be banned.)
They actually were banned (for the common people) at one time. Possession of a weapon that could pierce armor meant the aristocracy couldn't ride by at will to steal your goods and rape the womenfolk. Had a lot more to do with that whole "all men are created equal" thing than most people realize.
Im still all about restricting these powerful automatic and semi automatic weapons. Other than that, have gun will travel! I wonder if someone will post all the dog owners in the area. I have two, and they will protect me too!
http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/26/journalists-addresses-posted-google-maps-gun/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl2%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D249935
A week after the Newtown massacre, The Journal News published an interactive Google Map with the names and addresses of gun permit owners in select New York cities. The bold move has escalated into a transparency arms race, after a Connecticut lawyer posted the phone number and addresses of the Journal‘s staff, including a Google Maps satellite Image of the Publisher’s home. “I don’t know whether the Journal’s publisher Janet Hasson is a permit holder herself, but here’s how to find her to ask,” read Christopher Fountain’s blog post. The double irony here is that open data was heralded as a tool of enlightened civic dialog, and has been co-opted for fierce partisanship, bordering on public endangerment.
The Journal‘s original publication of the map sparked nationwide outrage and thousands of angry comments. Gun permit holding is public information in New York, and can be acquired through a mere request via the Freedom of Information Act. But, coming on the heals of the Newtown shooting, the publication had a clear provocative intent. “New York residents have the right to own guns with a permit and they also have a right to access public information,” said a defiant Hasson.
Given that Bushmaster .223-caliber rifle used in the School shooting was reportedly legally registered with the killer’s mother, the Google Map sparked a debate about whether gun owners should be labeled like other potential menaces to society, “The implications are mind-boggling,” said Marine Scott F. Williams to The Journal News, “It’s as if gun owners are sex offenders (and) to own a handgun risks exposure as if one is a sex offender. It’s, in my mind, crazy.”
Blogger Christopher Fountain took the debate into his own hands, publishing the personal information of The Journals‘ staff. “Hundreds of thousands of readers; Janet, you have a great Christmas Eve,” he wrote, after a popular political outlet, Instapundit, linked to his post.
Ironically, the promise of open data was supposed to lead to open-minded discussion. “If the broad light of day could be let in upon men’s actions, it would purify them as the sun disinfects,” reads the often-cited quote from Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, who stands a champion to modern-day nonprofits fighting for greater access to health, legislative, and administrative government data.
Open data advocates have struggled to get media attention for their utopian vision of automated government services. This latest use of open data via Google Maps, both to publish gun permit ownership and journalists’ geolocation data, seems to have hit the media sweet spot, as it plays into our debased partisan interests. It appears that transparency lends itself equally to being both a tool of democracy or a partisan weapon.
*******************************************************************************
dsert: Better be careful with that longbow - it's a pretty deadly weapon, someone might try to get it banned.
A week after the Newtown massacre, The Journal News published an interactive Google Map with the names and addresses of gun permit owners in select New York cities. The bold move has escalated into a transparency arms race, after a Connecticut lawyer posted the phone number and addresses of the Journal‘s staff, including a Google Maps satellite Image of the Publisher’s home. “I don’t know whether the Journal’s publisher Janet Hasson is a permit holder herself, but here’s how to find her to ask,” read Christopher Fountain’s blog post. The double irony here is that open data was heralded as a tool of enlightened civic dialog, and has been co-opted for fierce partisanship, bordering on public endangerment.
The Journal‘s original publication of the map sparked nationwide outrage and thousands of angry comments. Gun permit holding is public information in New York, and can be acquired through a mere request via the Freedom of Information Act. But, coming on the heals of the Newtown shooting, the publication had a clear provocative intent. “New York residents have the right to own guns with a permit and they also have a right to access public information,” said a defiant Hasson.
Given that Bushmaster .223-caliber rifle used in the School shooting was reportedly legally registered with the killer’s mother, the Google Map sparked a debate about whether gun owners should be labeled like other potential menaces to society, “The implications are mind-boggling,” said Marine Scott F. Williams to The Journal News, “It’s as if gun owners are sex offenders (and) to own a handgun risks exposure as if one is a sex offender. It’s, in my mind, crazy.”
Blogger Christopher Fountain took the debate into his own hands, publishing the personal information of The Journals‘ staff. “Hundreds of thousands of readers; Janet, you have a great Christmas Eve,” he wrote, after a popular political outlet, Instapundit, linked to his post.
Ironically, the promise of open data was supposed to lead to open-minded discussion. “If the broad light of day could be let in upon men’s actions, it would purify them as the sun disinfects,” reads the often-cited quote from Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, who stands a champion to modern-day nonprofits fighting for greater access to health, legislative, and administrative government data.
Open data advocates have struggled to get media attention for their utopian vision of automated government services. This latest use of open data via Google Maps, both to publish gun permit ownership and journalists’ geolocation data, seems to have hit the media sweet spot, as it plays into our debased partisan interests. It appears that transparency lends itself equally to being both a tool of democracy or a partisan weapon.
*******************************************************************************
dsert: Better be careful with that longbow - it's a pretty deadly weapon, someone might try to get it banned.
good post
The US Constitution was written at a time when it was assumed that all households were armed. In fact, in some states it was a requirement. Silliness like this map only goes to show how far we've let our rights and responsibilities slip.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
".......In no particular order, early American settlers viewed the right to arms and/or the right to bear arms and/or state militias as important for one or more of these purposes:
deterring tyrannical government;
repelling invasion;
suppressing insurrection;
facilitating a natural right of self-defense;
participating in law enforcement;
enabling the people to organize a militia system.
Which of these considerations they thought were most important, which of these considerations they were most alarmed about, and the extent to which each of these considerations ultimately found expression in the Second Amendment is disputed..........."
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going out back to pierce some armor with my longbow.
(And if you don't get that one, look up the history of the longbow and why, for a time, English peasents weren't allowed to own one.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
".......In no particular order, early American settlers viewed the right to arms and/or the right to bear arms and/or state militias as important for one or more of these purposes:
deterring tyrannical government;
repelling invasion;
suppressing insurrection;
facilitating a natural right of self-defense;
participating in law enforcement;
enabling the people to organize a militia system.
Which of these considerations they thought were most important, which of these considerations they were most alarmed about, and the extent to which each of these considerations ultimately found expression in the Second Amendment is disputed..........."
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going out back to pierce some armor with my longbow.
(And if you don't get that one, look up the history of the longbow and why, for a time, English peasents weren't allowed to own one.)
Oh boy!...teko you said it best!...". I agree it may be public record but if someone wants to know that badly, let them go looking for it. I think this is unfair to all concerned actually and see no good that can come from it. While I do think we need a registry of gun owners, this is just over the top. It targets those who have guns and those who don't equally.".....
Right Barb.
It's singling out people....people who have done nothing wrong, in order for the media to MAKE news instead of reporting news. Typically, devising and publishing a list of any "group" of people isn't the best idea.
I hope the paper goes under. Maybe that will hit home?
It's singling out people....people who have done nothing wrong, in order for the media to MAKE news instead of reporting news. Typically, devising and publishing a list of any "group" of people isn't the best idea.
I hope the paper goes under. Maybe that will hit home?
"I think their map has already covered that." Yes, it really did, but how many people won't realize that? I think they need to make each group equally vulnerable....... "you printed a map of homes *with* permitted guns; now print one of homes without permitted guns"........ fair is fair.
I think their map has already covered that. If you pick a dot in your area it pulls up a name of someone who has purchased a permit, if your name is not on their list, I guess it means you dont. So the criminals already have their information from that one map, no? But the problem is, their little map isnt detecting all those guns out there that are purchased, sold and bought without a permit. Therein lies the problem. dolts they are.
Good point; maybe we should contact this newspaper and demand just that...... you know, when a news show has a Republican, they're supposed to have a Democrat to rebut........ one map for people with guns; one map for people without guns. Make them all targets of home invasion, theft, whatever. Sounds fair to me.
EXCELLENT!!!!! I agree completely!
The same argument works in reverse!
EXCELLENT!!!!! I agree completely!
The same argument works in reverse!
"Here’s food for thought, I wonder what the Public Outcry would be if the same information was posted about People who don’t own Guns?"
Good point; maybe we should contact this newspaper and demand just that...... you know, when a news show has a Republican, they're supposed to have a Democrat to rebut........ one map for people with guns; one map for people without guns. Make them all targets of home invasion, theft, whatever. Sounds fair to me.
Good point; maybe we should contact this newspaper and demand just that...... you know, when a news show has a Republican, they're supposed to have a Democrat to rebut........ one map for people with guns; one map for people without guns. Make them all targets of home invasion, theft, whatever. Sounds fair to me.
Serves them right. Give them a taste of their own invasion of privacy/public has a right to know, my foot.
I just read this on aol news. In retaliation someone posted the addresses of some of the journalist's & staff,
http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/26/journalists-addresses-posted-google-maps-gun/?ncid=webmail2
Here we go....
http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/26/journalists-addresses-posted-google-maps-gun/?ncid=webmail2
Here we go....
Amanda, I agree that what that guy doing isn't cool...he's basically enabling impaired drivers. Now, here...checkpoints are almost always advertised (which I always found odd) except for a small number of ones that aren't publicized.
People amaze me. Bet he wouldn't think it was such a cute thing to do if one of his loved ones had been killed by a drunk/impaired driver.
People amaze me. Bet he wouldn't think it was such a cute thing to do if one of his loved ones had been killed by a drunk/impaired driver.
I guess it was easier to print this map then have to report on real news.
It's an invasion of privacy in my opinion. .
Well said! I totally agree. They're demonizing and it's not right. Like others have said...the info is out there if someone is really interested. This is singling out people.
I hope someone sues them, I really do. There's just no boundaries anymore. Itamazes me that ANYONE would be okay with this. They're lumping all gun owners into a list as potentially dangerous people is exactly what they're doing...and it's just so wrong.
It's an invasion of privacy in my opinion. .
Well said! I totally agree. They're demonizing and it's not right. Like others have said...the info is out there if someone is really interested. This is singling out people.
I hope someone sues them, I really do. There's just no boundaries anymore. Itamazes me that ANYONE would be okay with this. They're lumping all gun owners into a list as potentially dangerous people is exactly what they're doing...and it's just so wrong.
Here’s food for thought, I wonder what the Public Outcry would be if the same information was posted about People who don’t own Guns?
I guess it was easier to print this map then have to report on real news.
It's an invasion of privacy in my opinion.
It's an invasion of privacy in my opinion.
I can't understand what they are thinking with publishing this sort of information. I also fully agree that you are potentially setting people up to be robbed. Bad idea.
On a different note, but sort of on topic, we are having a problem in my city with someones misuse of Twitter. They are tweeting updates of where the road checks for drunk drivers are located. It's legal to do, but so irresponsible.
I wonder how this newspaper and this tweeter will feel knowing they are potentially causing crime or death. So irresponsible.
On a different note, but sort of on topic, we are having a problem in my city with someones misuse of Twitter. They are tweeting updates of where the road checks for drunk drivers are located. It's legal to do, but so irresponsible.
I wonder how this newspaper and this tweeter will feel knowing they are potentially causing crime or death. So irresponsible.
"I think it could put a target ( pardon the pun ) on not only gun owners but also non gun owners." Good point - non gun owners have no way to protect themselves or their homes, so would, literally, be sitting ducks.
All in the name of "news", this paper has put numerous people at risk. It's not just bad; it's downright stupid.
All in the name of "news", this paper has put numerous people at risk. It's not just bad; it's downright stupid.
Chaos rules.
I think it could put a target ( pardon the pun ) on not only gun owners but also non gun owners. Gun owners because the bad guy could target the unoccupied house to burglarize for the guns and whatever else, and same for the non gun owner anytime because the bad guy knows they have no guns so anything goes, home invasion for example...
Whats next? show a map where democrats live? republicans? show what race lives where? for the nut cases out there.... Whole new can of worms and a bad idea.... least in my book....
Whats next? show a map where democrats live? republicans? show what race lives where? for the nut cases out there.... Whole new can of worms and a bad idea.... least in my book....
"Publishing gun owners' names makes them targets for theft or public ridicule. It is journalistic arrogance to abuse public record privilege, just as it is to air 911 calls for no reason or to publish the home addresses of police or judges without cause," Al Tompkins, a Poynter senior faculty member, said in a statement Wednesday. "Unwarranted publishing of the names of permitted owners just encourages gun owners to skip the permitting."
Yep Yep Yep!!
Yep Yep Yep!!
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