# Nice Job FOX, Kudos! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 26, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750 "2005-08-26T16:59:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/1 "2005-08-26T16:59:32Z")
Not to mention the jackholes who are acting on the false information. [Story](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050826/ap_on_re_us/fbi_probe_house_5) > [@](#): > > A couple whose home was wrongly identified on national television as belonging to an Islamic radical has faced harassment, and police are providing special protection. > . > . > . > John Loftus, a former federal prosecutor who appears on the Fox News segment “Inside Scoop with John Loftus,” gave out the house address during the broadcast. > > He said the home belonged to Iyad Hilal, whose group, Loftus said, has ties to those responsible for the July 7 bombings in London. But Hilal moved out of the house about three years ago. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/2 "2005-08-26T17:00:31Z")
Can they sue Fox? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/3 "2005-08-26T17:04:15Z")
Not unless they can prove Fox knew the address was wrong and reported it anyway. I’m sure there will be some sort of settlement, but John Loftus should lose his gig for this. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/4 "2005-08-26T17:28:33Z")
I love how someone spraypainted “Terrist” on their house. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/5 "2005-08-26T17:29:21Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Not unless they can prove Fox knew the address was wrong and reported it anyway. IANAL but if they made a factually incorrect report some sort of negligence claim might apply, separate from any defamation issue. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/6 "2005-08-26T17:40:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Loftus also apologized and told the Los Angeles Times last week that “mistakes happen. … That was the best information we had at the time.” He obviously takes lessons from the White House on verifying information. Putz. ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/7 "2005-08-26T17:43:30Z")
[It gets dumber](http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lahabra25aug25,1,5510970,full.story?coll=la-headlines-california&ctrack=1&cset=true): > [@](#): > > Loftus said he gave out the address to help local police, and insisted that Hilal, a Garden Grove grocery store owner, was a terrorist. > > “I thought it might help police in that area now that we have positively identified a terrorist living in [Orange County],” he said. Apparently the police in Orange County have an unlisted number, and the only way Mr. Loftus could contact them was over television airwaves. Either that or Loftus is a complete twit who thinks inciting mobs is a perfectly good response to allegations of wrongdoing. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/8 "2005-08-26T17:44:01Z")
> [@Electronic Chaos](#): > > I love how someone spraypainted “Terrist” on their house. They’re just hating on the terriers that make Westminster their bitch ever year. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/9 "2005-08-26T17:49:59Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Not unless they can prove Fox knew the address was wrong and reported it anyway. Should the “news” be in the habit of giving out addresses over the air to begin with? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/10 "2005-08-26T17:57:26Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Should the “news” be in the habit of giving out addresses over the air to begin with? Some people feel it’s perfectly fine to shame and humiliate people on the airwaves. There used to be a cop near here (Sgt. Pimintel, from Taunton, MA, if you’re curious) who had his own show where he would read the names of people arrested (not convicted) that week, and call them “Toilet-licking scum.” If you tried to sue him over it, you could be sure to get quite a few more traffic tickets until you dropped the suit. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/11 "2005-08-26T17:58:23Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Should the “news” be in the habit of giving out addresses over the air to begin with? That’s what I was wondering too. Apparently, as quoted in **Orbifold** ’s post, Loftus thought it was the best way to notify the police of his suspicions. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/12 "2005-08-26T18:06:11Z")
I think you have to know the information is false to be liable for slander, but this goes beyond that. The outcome–idiots threatening them and vandalizing their home–was not only predictable, but was the only reasonable intended result for giving out the address on the air (along with directions and a satellite photo, according to one article I read). As such, they may be liable for having a reckless disregard for the truth. Has the righty blogosphere picked up talking points on this yet? Let me guess–“Dan Rather! Dan Rather! Dan Rather!” ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/13 "2005-08-26T18:10:38Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > Loftus thought it was the best way to notify the police of his suspicions. The best way :rolleyes: . I’m going to sprain my eyes from rolling them like that. Lets assume, for a minute, that Hilal did in fact still live in the house -does that make the act right? What if the mob decides to, I don’t know, assault the residents or burn the house down? Giving out a private address, especially when it hasn’t been confirmed, is an act of negligence of the highest order. I would even guess that Loftus was trying to incite some sort of vigilante activity. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/14 "2005-08-26T18:13:55Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > The best way :rolleyes: . I’m going to sprain my eyes from rolling them like that. Lets assume, for a minute, that Hilal did in fact still live in the house -does that make the act right?. actually it made the act even stupider (if that’s possible). If Hilal **was** still living there and **was** a terrorist, by making the address/accusation public, it would have given Hilal the heads up to move on out. “we report, you desecrate”. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/15 "2005-08-26T18:14:26Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > The best way :rolleyes: Apparently my sarcasm is too subtle. I’ll dial it up a notch in future. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/16 "2005-08-26T18:23:49Z")
I’m curious as to whether or not the police will charge Loftus/FOX for the squad car, officers, etc. needed to protect the family. After all, that “runaway bride” lady was charged for the resources her little stunt used up. Why shouldn’t Loftus/FOX have to pay for their part in this? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/17 "2005-08-26T18:29:02Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Giving out a private address, especially when it hasn’t been confirmed Even if it had been confirmed, the way to handle it is to make a call to the police. Or the FBI. Or the DoHS. Inciting vigilante violence is not the way to counteract terrism, people! ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/18 "2005-08-26T18:31:44Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > I think you have to know the information is false to be liable for slander, but this goes beyond that. The outcome–idiots threatening them and vandalizing their home–was not only predictable, but was the only reasonable intended result for giving out the address on the air (along with directions and a satellite photo, according to one article I read). As such, they may be liable for having a reckless disregard for the truth. True to some extent. Libel cases can be broken down into two categories: those of public and those of private individuals. Public individuals, by their very nature, put themselves out there for society to discuss and thus, for them, proving libel is quite a bit more difficult. For them there does need to be actual malice reckless disregard for the truth of the matter asserted. For private individuals, which one would assume this homeowner is, mere negligence or careless error is enough to prove libel. ---
**Author:** ![cards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@cards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cards)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/19 "2005-08-26T18:37:47Z")
**adam yax** can you say WHOOOOOOSH? ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750/20 "2005-08-26T18:58:01Z")
I don’t see where “libel” occurs. They didn’t accuse the real home owner of anything. They accused some one else who used to live there, publicized the address, which of course, now belonged to some one else. Hell it would have had the same effect if Hilal had still lived the same place but the nimrods at Fox aired a different address. I would think simple liability would come into play - I shoot a gun into the air, I’m responsible for the damage the bullet makes. They spouted off an address claiming a ‘terrist’ lived there, and damage (or penis) ensued. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-job-fox-kudos/318750.md?page=2)