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| Though I may not like the movie, I do like the logo © Sony Pictures Entertainment |
Writer's Note: I'm currently not checking updates for when and where will "The Interview" will be released...or whether North Korea is the real hacker...because this will take a few days or weeks to answer it...and I needed a break from this; It's increasing becoming a distraction to me.
Please note that almost all links open with a new window.
Alright time for me to write the fallout over "The Interview". If you missed the beginning of it, click here.
Just 24 hours after Sony Pictures' cancellation of the Christmas Day theatrical release of "The Interview", which I'm actually not interesting in seeing it, the press - after reporting tons of private information because Sony Pictures is a Hollywood studio - suddenly realized that this hack is very serious. Some people like the people in the MPAA suggests that the press should be focusing on who hacked the Hollywood studio.
When the WikiLeaks happen or Edward Snowden leaks happen, the press only focusing who's responsible and what will the country do to take action. They didn't gossip about the leaks
Okay while that sounds like a lesson, in the sensitive nature of the Sony, I think a better lesson is: Be careful...what you report or gossip in the news. Because when you report hacks like these, the hackers will read them and follow in their footsteps. And therefore, you're a journalist helping the hackers. And that's what Aaron Sorkin blamed the media for the cancellation of "The Interview".
Many celebrities around Hollywood slammed the decision. Even politicians rejected. However George Clooney slammed Hollywood for not stepping up. Why Hollywood slam the decision if it not willing to step up? That's what I'm wondering.
George Clooney is not only an actor, but also an organizer for the September 11th attacks (America: A Tribute to Heroes), the Indonesia tsunami (Tsunami Aid), and the Haiti earthquake (Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief). Last week, he organize a protest for Hollywood to step up and say that Sony Pictures should fight the cyber-terrorist and release "The Interview" on Christmas Day. Unfortunately nobody - and I mean nobody - has stepped up to sign the petition.
Why nobody in Hollywood sign the petition? Many factors: They may think it's mostly money or...maybe they're so afraid that they get under attack when they should have go stay strong like what America is supposing doing.
Anyway, at the same time, reports coming in that North Korea was behind the attack after all. But there was no evidence to prove it. Some people believe it's not North Korea and it could be somebody else. Nevertheless, the next day, the FBI confirms that North Korea was behind the hack...with no evidence proven. The FBI can say that they can't share information to the public, but questions still remain.
When I read the FBI confirmation through a Deadline Hollywood article on last Friday morning, at first I was like...'okay so North Korea was behind the attack...okay well they seem to want peace and not war'. As I keep reading articles, I was feeling a little mad about North Korea. But then by late-evening, I started to think whether North Korea was behind the attack...because there was an article by Business Insider indicates that not everybody believe that North Korea was the hacker.
By the time I go to bed (I actually go to bed after 12:30am that night), after all the articles I read, I was thinking 'North Korea wouldn't hack Sony Pictures; maybe the FBI confirms it because...I don't know. Whether the FBI confirm it because it has a connection, which may not - and may not - be the case, or they confirm it because they're lazy. Because, while I can understand that the FBI is sensitive about the evidence, some people, including myself, believe that they actually can't find any evidence.
Or maybe the FBI's investigation skills are not strong enough. I personally belive that if the press is helping the hackers than the press is also telling the FBI, which I believe their invesigation isn't done. I believe that the FBI confirms North Korea because it's what the media said, not because it's the hacker behind it. The hackers (which are believed to someone else than North Korea) are so...how can I describe it...powerful that the FBI can't find it. In fact, last Saturday afternoon, the hackers sent an email with a YouTube link attached that the FBI is an idiot.
And they may be right: even before the hackers sent that email, and to my sigh of relief, last Saturday morning, North Korea denies it (for the second time) and they said it'll launch a joint investigation with the United States. The U.S. will face serious consequences if it doesn't join in.
I was hoping the U.S. will understand and eventually work together with North Korea. Unfortunately, the U.S. rejects it and still believes that the country was the hacker. There's even a report that the U.S. is seeking help from China to stop North Korea, even though China is an ally to North Korea.
The U.S. continues to blame North Korea even though they denied and there was no evidence to prove it. So yeah, I would believe that the FBI's investigation skills are...weak. It's like the American weather system isn't smart enough than the European model when covering Hurricane Sandy back in late-October 2012. (The American weather model forecast Sandy way behind the European model; Weather meteorologist mistakenly believe that Sandy would go off shore while it'll actually hit the land) I would suggest that the FBI should launch a new investigation and find out who's really behind it.
Fortunately, U.S. President Barack Obama didn't declare the hack an act of war, but nevertheless considering whether or not the U.S. should list North Korea on the terror list, despite that country's denial and false threats from past years.
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| Michael Lynton, Sony Pictures executive © CNN |
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| Amy Pascal, Sony Pictures executive at the L.A. premiere of "The Interview" © Getty Images Source: abcnews.go.com |
So Sony Pictures is still willing to release "The Interview" with no distributor stepping in. Though, Sony Pictures is removing the promotion site as well as the promotional social media accounts, which it sounds confusing. Is it because they cave in to the hackers, who not only sent a private email telling Sony Pictures to remove everything related to the movie but also - to make matters confusing - sent a public email telling them that they can release the movie now with a few rules, although the damage is already done.
Or is it because Sony Pictures want to distance themselves from "The Interview", which marks the question why would the Hollywood studio want to distance themselves from a movie that at the same time they want to release?
Or...maybe Sony Pictures want to restart the promotion once they find a movie retailer?
So far, Sony Pictures has only found one online distributor: BitTorrent, which kinda ironic because it is one of the torrent software that has people not only download movies illegally but also other illegal content as well. But BitTorrent step up and said Sony Pictures can distribute it through the torrent software. I don't know if they directly step up and approached the studio but the deal between BitTorrent and Sony Pictures remains to be seen.
Time will tell who the 'real' hacker will be...and time will tell when "The Interview", which once again I'm not interested, will ever release in a light of day.
I post those links in my previous post but I'm posting them again.
Here is a post that doubted North Korea as a hacker: http://marcrogers.org/2014/12/18/why-the-sony-hack-is-unlikely-to-be-the-work-of-north-korea/
And an analysis that breaks down the hack: https://www.riskbasedsecurity.com/2014/12/a-breakdown-and-analysis-of-the-december-2014-sony-hack/
And another link: http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-these-experts-still-dont-buy-20141221-column.html
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