# Is this more media noise or is the Obama Administration doing something shady? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 8, 2014, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596 "2014-07-08T01:10:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/21 "2014-07-10T17:03:56Z")
You know, [HIPAA](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIPAA) doesn’t just cover citizens and legal residents of the US. While it’s legal for someone to say “some children in these centers have been diagnosed with this illness”, it’s all too easy to let enough information slip (so many children from _this_ center, in this age range, of this gender, with these co-morbidities) that a determined person could gather enough data to identify one or more individuals, and then you have a HIPAA violation. Aside from all the other motives, the administration may simply be reminding its employees of best practices regarding health information privacy. You don’t tell anyone anything unless they are the patient, the guardian, the health practitioner, the insurer, the facility, or otherwise have a legal need-to-know. What they’re asking for is more stringent than what the law requires, but if you don’t talk about it, you can’t break the law. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/22 "2014-07-10T17:22:49Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > OMG young children with lice?! Shut it down immediately! > > Wait, I think that means we have to shut down nearly every preschool, daycare and private home in the country. Really? I don’t know what world you live in, but I don’t want to visit. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/23 "2014-07-10T23:36:34Z")
> [@EndlessEntropy](#): > > Are you suggesting Fox is lying? Are there any specific examples of Fox lying in news stories? Might wanna add those /sarcasm tags, buddy. "[Can’t make fun of them without being mistaken for them" and whatnot](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16771193&postcount=307). (In case you’re serious, [very](http://www.politifact.com/search/?q=fox+news) [yes!](http://thedailyshow.cc.com/video-playlists/6snvbp/daily-show-16080/lkmdal) And the link above is from a thread which goes into great detail about just how abysmal Fox News is as a source.) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/24 "2014-07-11T01:30:08Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Really? I don’t know what world you live in, but I don’t want to visit. Our longtime parasites show up in wealthy, white, suburban schools, too. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/25 "2014-07-11T05:16:32Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Our longtime parasites show up in wealthy, white, suburban schools, too. Ya know, I’ve never known anyone with “scabies”, don’t know of anyone who knows anyone who has had “scabies”. I’ve certainly never had them, despite 16-odd years of public school. I’m a little bit embarrassed to admit that up until last week, I thought “scabies” was a made-up-by-kids word, like “cooties” or something. I’ve never encountered it in my lifetime. I have a hard time believing its as widespread as whoever I responded to makes it out to be. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/26 "2014-07-11T09:29:48Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Really? I don’t know what world you live in, but I don’t want to visit. Did you skip childhood of something? Lice are a common childhood annoyance. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/27 "2014-07-11T11:09:15Z")
It sure looks like they are hiding something: [http://www.newson6.com/story/25954868/bridenstine-plans-more-drop-in-visits-to-ft-sill-facility-housing-immigrant-children](http://www.newson6.com/story/25954868/bridenstine-plans-more-drop-in-visits-to-ft-sill-facility-housing-immigrant-children) Then they let the media tour the facility, on the condition they didn’t take pictures or talk to anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/28 "2014-07-11T11:12:31Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > It sure looks like they are hiding something: > > [Bridenstine Protests Restrictions On VIsiting Immigrant Children At Ft. Sill](http://www.newson6.com/story/25954868/bridenstine-plans-more-drop-in-visits-to-ft-sill-facility-housing-immigrant-children) > > Then they let the media tour the facility, on the condition they didn’t take pictures or talk to anyone. Couldn’t possibly be protecting the identities of children; must be a conspiracy. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/29 "2014-07-11T11:14:52Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > It sure looks like they are hiding something: > > [Bridenstine Protests Restrictions On VIsiting Immigrant Children At Ft. Sill](http://www.newson6.com/story/25954868/bridenstine-plans-more-drop-in-visits-to-ft-sill-facility-housing-immigrant-children) > > Then they let the media tour the facility, on the condition they didn’t take pictures or talk to anyone. You mean they won’t let Fox News and Republican demagogues hassle these frightened kids who barely speak English and have been separated from their parents? It’s almost as if they were trying to _protect_ the children! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/30 "2014-07-11T11:23:37Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > It sure looks like they are hiding something: > > [Bridenstine Protests Restrictions On VIsiting Immigrant Children At Ft. Sill](http://www.newson6.com/story/25954868/bridenstine-plans-more-drop-in-visits-to-ft-sill-facility-housing-immigrant-children) > > Then they let the media tour the facility, on the condition they didn’t take pictures or talk to anyone. You mean they wouldn’t let journalists exploit and harass disadvantaged children who are already, most likely, quite frightened and anxious? How dare they! Hannity’s producers have an important job of trying to make Obama look bad, and how dare anyone put the welfare of children before that vital task? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/31 "2014-07-11T11:24:15Z")
Didn’t let them talk to staff either. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/32 "2014-07-11T11:28:42Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Didn’t let them talk to staff either. Why, it’s almost as if the staff had _jobs_ they needed to do, like take care of the children. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/33 "2014-07-11T11:34:28Z")
Now you’re just making excuses. The media interviews people doing jobs all the time. By your logic, the President should never grant interviews given how busy he’s supposed to be. Or any other government official for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/34 "2014-07-11T11:41:38Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Now you’re just making excuses. The media interviews people doing jobs all the time. By your logic, the President should never grant interviews given how busy he’s supposed to be. Or any other government official for that matter. I see no evidence that journalists aren’t allowed to interview staff – just that they can’t interact with staff and children inside the facility while they work, which makes sense. The children should obviously not be harassed and exploited, and the staff should not be harassed and exploited in full view of the children. Further, department representatives have talked to the press. I’m sure congressmen and journalists desperately searching for ways to make Obama look bad would like to interview every single staff member at the facility until they find some crumb that can be twisted as Obama’s fault, but they can’t make staff members talk to them. There’s no “right to interview” if the subject doesn’t want to be interviewed. Most likely, staff members are as reluctant to talk to Hannity producers and Tea Party congressmen as most government workers would be. If those assholes came into my office and started asking me questions, I’d tell 'em to ‘fuck off’ too. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596/35 "2014-07-11T11:46:24Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Now you’re just making excuses. The media interviews people doing jobs all the time. _With their employers’ permission._ I used to run a restaurant. If a reporter and a camera crew came through our doors one day and started trying to interview our cashiers or cooks, I’d have told them to get the hell out. No reporter has the right to barge into a workplace uninvited and _demand_ its employees stop what they’re doing and answer their questions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-more-media-noise-or-is-the-obama-administration-doing-something-shady/692596.md?page=1)