Parsing the GameJournoPros leak

Just a quick word at the top, I'm writing this to try to sift through the leak of the GameJournoPros e-mail chain posted by Milo Yiannopoulos.  I intend to break it down into a more manageable summary of the e-mail chain, give a clear picture of who is included in this group discussion, and to frame the important key points of what is being discussed.

I'm doing this because frankly I think the articles written about the e-mail group have been very weak because most outside observers are going to see it as a group of buddies protecting one of their friends from having their personal life dragged through the public eye--without seeing it for what it really is, a group of high level video game journalists and editors in open counsel with each other on issues of news.  Part of this is to sort through what is and isn't attempts to censor or agree to suppress the scandal, for while the effect of how game journalists handled the original scandal could be perceived as censorship it is not very clear the extent to which it was organized and deliberate.  There is admittedly a human side to the original scandal regardless of whether it was ethical and frankly part of the ammunition that the anti-GG side have at their disposal is the idea that they were trying to protect someone from harassment, but where they fail and are truly at fault is the means and measure they attempted to use to do so because they felt no regard for journalistic integrity and instead chose to view it as an issue of friendship and quid pro quo.

But let's be clear, implicit or tacit agreements to ignore coverage of an important issue is a huge breach of journalistic ethics. If you don't understand why this is a big issue, simply be aware that these are the people deciding what is and isn't news in the video game world.  It's a cartel on information.  It is destructive to the free flow of information at best and flagrant economic manipulation at worst.  Keep in mind: these are people who have a huge say in which products (video games) you ever hear about.

I'll leave my personal comments on the subject and my background with regards to GamerGate at the end so they can be safely ignored.  Side commentary from within the summary will be in bold.

You can find the full leaked text here: http://yiannopoulos.net/2014/09/19/gamejournopros-zoe-quinn-email-dump/ - note as of this moment in writing the website has been overrun by people checking it out so I'll update the link if it becomes available elsewhere
Previous articles on the leaked e-mails:
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-London/2014/09/17/Exposed-the-secret-mailing-list-of-the-gaming-journalism-elite
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-London/2014/09/18/The-emails-that-prove-video-games-journalism-must-be-reformed
A response by Kyle Orland who created the Google Group: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/09/addressing-allegations-of-collusion-among-gaming-journalists/

August 19
-Some context with regards to the date: on August 16 Eron Gjoni, the ex-boyfriend of Zoe Quinn (the central figure of the scandal that started the whole shebang, Developer of Depression Quest), posted a detailed recounting with their breakup, including the fact that she had cheated on him with five other guys.  While there was some requisite shit-slinging related to that, what was noted to be most important is who she was alleged to have slept with, because one or more of them may have been involved in promoting her game, Depression Quest.  The e-mail chain appears to begin three days later, after accusations of corruption and collusion in the gaming press have become the platform for outrage amongst what would be come supporters of #GamerGate.  A timeline of the early events in the GamerGate debacle can be found here: http://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline/latest/embed/index.html?source=0AluMP_VX-eehdFV1X2JxQXNzZ3gzaE45VG85WDl3R0E 

Kyle Orland (Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica)
-Begins by linking to a pastebin containing text originally written in a blog post (that had since been removed) by Zoe Quinn, which can still be read at: http://pastebin.com/v4DGSQqR
-Kyle calls attention to the first paragraph in which Zoe implores the games press to not "take the bait" because it's "not news"
-He seems to express some conflict over whether or not the subject might be public interest (note: from the standpoint of someone being harassed, not that there may have been ethical breaches involved), expresses a desire to use his "platform" to decry the harassment aimed at Zoe
-Ends with: "So what’s to be done? Maybe we should just stick to Twitter to boost the signal on this one, rather than our “front pages.” (Quinn seemed initially OK with people retweeting her statement
(https://twitter.com/TheQuinnspiracy/status/501644035593748481) but then she took down the  original Tumblr post, so who knows). Maybe we should get a public letter of support going around decrying these kinds of personal attacks, signed by as many sympathetic journalists/developers as we can. Maybe we should just use this as an excuse to give more attention to her work… I know I’ve been meaning to review Depression Quest since its Steam release. Very interested to hear what others think on this."
-So, I actually missed this on my first pass reading through the e-mails, but Kyle actually suggests they use it as an excuse to give Depression Quest MORE (presumably positive) press coverage.

Devin Connors (Writer and Editor at the Escapist)
-Asks what the deal is with Zoe's statement, as he's been "busy with a wedding for the last week"

Matthew Hawkins (Columnist at Gawker Media's Kotaku)
-Posts a link to Zoe's blog

James Fudge (Managing Editor at GamePolitics.com)
-Posts a link to Zoe's Tumblr with the original text reposted

Greg Tito (Editor in Chief at the Escapist)
-Says the he has decided not to write about/ignore the scandal
-Also mentions a thread about it on the Escapist forums, but says that he is "struggling to find justification in shutting down discussion"; says he will "continue to moderate the crap out of the threads" but asks for advice on whether he should just straight up shut it down, ending with: "Looking for opinions from the group because I’m stumped as to the best way to handle this. Damn it, Jim, I’m a writer not a skilled forum moderator!"

Ben Kuchera (Senior Opinion Editor at Polygon)
-"This is the question: People are using your platform to harass a developer. Are you comfortable with that?"

Greg Tito
-Replies that he is shutting down harassment immediately and issued bans and warnings, says that following that logic discussion on the internet would also have to be shut down (but maybe that's not a bad idea)
-Frankly, this suggests to me that Greg Tito doesn't have a desire to actually censor anything at this time--just prevent harassment.

Mike Wehner (Editor at TUAW, former Managing Editor at the Escapist)
-Agrees with Greg that the best move is to only shut down individual comments that "cross the line" and that "telling people they can't discuss the ramifications of the allegations *at all* is a bit much[...]given that the Escapist forums have always been a place for a wide range of discussions."

Ben Kuchera
-Links to a thread where he notes someone signed up for an account just to post that thread, claims it fits his definite of harassment

Greg Tito
-Mentions that that is not an uncommon practice and not automatically harassment in his book
-Mentions that critics in the existing threads are being met with people "working to educate the OP and others about these things" and creating a positive dialogue

Ben Kuchera
-Writes:
"Ask yourself this:

1) Does that thread serve your community?

2) Is it making anyone’s life better?

3) Is it actively hurting someone?

4) Is that what I want the Escapist to be?

The answers, are no, no, yes, and I hope not. If using the forums to post hearsay to harass and abuse people isn’t against your current TOS, change your TOS. Don’t sit by and let your community be used to making gaming worse because of a technicality."

James Fudge
-Says he agrees the topic doesn't sound like harassment at face value, and that shutting it down plays into the "narrative" about censorship
-Says, however, that it violates the "Don't Be a Jerk" rule of the Escapist Code of Conduct (presumably he's implying that would be sound justification to shut down the thread)

Ben Kuchera
-"Yeah, I'm really confused and saddened that this is even a conversation."

Jason Schreier (Reporter at Gawker Media's Kotaku)
-Chimes in to say that claims that Nathan Grayson (Writer at Kotaku, one of the fabled Five Guys) reviewed Depression Quest are not true, and likewise on the existence of a blog post written by Nathan that was allegedly removed

Ben Kuchera
-Continues whinging about the Escapist thread

Greg Tito
-Acknowledges Jason Schreier and mentions that he's been trying to correct posters on that point
-Says that although "the conversation may be distasteful to some of us[...]I don't know if the answer is to delete the thread"
-Goes on to say that "pushing this down would only serve my own tastes and opinions" and is "not what a public forum is designed to be"

Dan Starkey (Freelance Writer and Video Game Critic at Game Spot et al.)
-Comments briefly on the Escapist thread

Kyle Orland
-Replies to Dan Starkey's comment

Dan Starkey
-Replies to Kyle

Kyle Orland
-Replies to Dan

Dan Starkey
-Replies to Kyle (oh no, he saw awful things on "the chan line of sites")

Ben Kuchera
-"Really disappointed in that response, Greg.  But I'm going to end the discussion on it here to maintain civility."

Greg Tito
-Tells Ben to message him in private if he wants to continue discussion

Kyle Orland
-Replies to Dan again

Andy Eddy (Editor in Chief of @Gamer Magazine, Former Senior Editor at GamePro magazine et al., founded Netcom--a mirror of which eventually developed into GameFAQs)
-Says it's "barely a game-industry story, no matter how some people want to frame it"
-States, "I don't think we, as games press, should support furthering the story by commenting, editorializing or even allowing others to ruminate on it."
-It seems this is the first instance of an organized call to ignore the issue.
-Continues by making several appeals to emotion (eg "what if it was your son or daughter or brother or sister?")
-Finally, for good measure, he says Greg should yank the aforementioned Escapist thread
-To be fair, the general tone of his e-mail suggests that he thinks what Zoe did was pretty dumb, but he still more or less urges that the story not be given any air.

 Greg Tito
-Agrees with everything Andy Eddy wrote
-Explains that things are being moderated closely
-Reaffirms his previous statements that, while he doesn't like the discussion, he doesn't think it would be a good idea to cut it off, but is now expressing doubts

Chris Dahlen (Freelance Writer for several sites, see http://savetherobot.com/)
-More or less says the same thing Andy Eddy did
-Hates on Bro Team
-Above aside, mentions Bro Team as an example of the immature goofs "who are circling around Quinn for all their own pathetic reasons" and that they should "work against that, in even the smallest ways, rather than permit it."

Chris Dahlen (again)
-"Also, I’m just reminded of the recent Polygon opinion pieces where they shut the comments off altogether.  Commenting on somebody else’s website or forum is a privilege, not a right.  If you’re going to be a shitbag, you don’t get to contribute."

Kyle Orland
-"Silver lining: Quinn is getting a bunch of new Patreon patrons today, apparently"

Ryan Smith (Freelance Writer at the Chicago Tribune's RedEye et al.)
-Agrees that Zoe's sex life shouldn't be news
-BUT points out that several outlets had run stories on Josh Mattingly (CEO and Founder of Indie Statik) and the Snapchat CEO's "e-mails from college", which were both instances of stories based on private conversations about sex
-Also wonders if anyone who published stories about Zoe Quinn's harassment had actually bothered to ask for evidence or if they just went by what she wrote on Twitter
-Greg Tito came under fire at some point early on after he had made a post insinuating that the had done just that, but I do not recall where it fits in the timeline.  I wonder if Ryan's statement isn't a response to that or if they're at all related.

Sarah LeBoeuf (Writer at the Escapist)
-"Uh pretty big difference between 'a private conversation about sex' and sexual harassment, which is what the Mattingly situation was."

Jason Schreier
-More of the above

Ben Kuchera
-Even more of the above plus the requisite Kuchera-being-a-dickwad

Ryan Smith
-"Hold on to your hats.  I wasn't equating the two at all.  I was just asking where you guys draw the line."

Kyle Orland
-"Between the harassers and the victims of harassment."

Jason Schreier
-Similar

Ben Kuchera
-Again

Ryan Smith
-Clarifies that it was specifically with regards to publishing stories related to messages that were formerly private that have been public because they were posted online
-I'd like to take a moment here to highlight the double standard though.  According to feminists (including, by the way, Zoe, who has stated the following elsewhere), cheating on your partner and then having sex with them again without telling them is considered rape.  Zoe is guilty of rape.  I would consider that to at least be on the same level as sexual harassment.  But watch these SJWs do any mental gymnastics necessary to not hold men and women to the same standards for fuckin' rape. 

Brandon Justice (Editorial Director at @ReadRETRO Magazine, Former Developer at SEGA, 2K, EA, et al.)
-"Personally, I'm just trying to get over the 'silver lining' bit.  Like, really?"
-We all are, Brandon.  We all are.

Dan Starkey
-"The line is whether or not it serves a legitimate public interest."
-lol

Kyle Orland
-Says a few things that don't really make sense in the current context but isn't very relevant either

Dan Starkey
-Corrects a small grammatical error in his previous message

James Fudge
-Brings up the DMCA takedown of MundaneMatt's video, says it's what he was initially interested in but didn't want to have to write about all the other stuff related to the controversy

Britton Peele (Entertainment Editor at Dallas Morning News)
-Notes that anyone could file the DMCA takedown request claiming to be Zoe
-Mentions that he has refrained from commenting because he is friends with Nathan Grayson
-Says, however, that "this should never, ever have been a 'thing'" and is not a "news story", even the "'corruption of a journalist' angle"
-Waffles a bit on the forum discussion issue

Andrew Groen (Writer at WIRED)
-"I had a thought. Maybe a bad one. You tell me: I remember a few years back when Patrick Klepek hit on some tough circumstances we all pitched in to get him a 'feel better' gift. Anybody think something like that could be appropriate to address the circumstances that have been forced upon Zoe? Even if it’s not monetary. Maybe a signed, joint letter of support from the Game Journo Pros. I know she’s not a member of the group like Patrick was, but I do know that this is part of a broader theme of the industry losing talent to the toxic culture. And that’s our business. In my mind, it’s a joint show of solidarity to match the trolls’ joint show of force."
-Patrick Klepek is a Regular Contributor at Giantbomb
-Wow.

Dan Starkey
-Likes Andrew Groen's idea

Mike Futter (News Editor at Game Informer)
-Remarks that the above is a terrible idea (but mostly because they're "a bunch of strangers who don't know you, but in case you were wondering, we're aware of your dirty laundry")

Kyle Orland
-Likes a "signed letter of support" idea and wants to get some developers on board, asks for volunteers for a draft
-Oh boy, as if you're not already under fire for (literally and metaphorically) being in bed with developers.

Dan Starkey
-Appears to volunteer to write said draft

Andrew Groen
-Attempts to justify the idea in response to Mike Futter
-Actually has the balls (and/or lack of brains/restraint) to say they're Zoe's colleagues
-Says he doesn't know if ignoring the problem is "an effective strategy" (but mostly because he wants everyone to be publicly in support of Zoe)
-But says that any letter of support needs to be "entirely under the radar"

Jason Schreier
-As an ironic voice of reason, implies that perhaps the suggested gift or letter would be unwise given that "this incident has raised enough questions about the incestuous relationship between press and developers already"

Mike Futter
-"I would prefer not to be associated with this. It feels wrong to me. I think it feels very off to reach across the fence from journalist to subject in this way. I prefer professional distance, especially given the accusations being levied at us from outside."

Britton Peele
-Echoes Mike's sentiment

Adam Rosenberg (Gaming and Movies Editor at Digital Trends)
-Also agrees with Mike
-Suggests that the best thing to do is just drop it and let things get sorted out on their own

Scott Nichols (Freelance Game Critic at Digital Spy)
-Jumps on the above bandwagon, suggests that it's only appropriate for individuals who are friends with her to express support

Adam Rosenberg
-Writes:
"I just want to add to what I said earlier, since I couldn’t really get into it in a post punched into my iPhone and this is something I feel pretty strongly about. The idea doesn’t sit right with me because this whole situation is so much more complex than someone being unreasonably harassed by the Internet.

Let’s just review the sequence of events really quick:

1- Zoe has a relationship that, whatever the reason may be, ends badly.

2- Zoe’s wounded ex goes on a very public tirade in which he airs piles and piles of alleged dirty laundry.

3- The Internet Harassment Squad goes ballistic and rains a shitstorm down on Zoe.

#3 really, really sucks, objectively speaking. But what about everything that led to it?

That’s where things get sticky. This is some straight-up relationship drama, just spilled out across a larger canvas. Who are any of us to say what’s true and what’s not in the alleged facts that have been laid out? And say some of the ex’s allegations ARE true: Is it right to send a message that indirectly validates the shitty behavior he described? Would Zoe even feel comfort at such a gesture, considering it amounts to a reminder of the public embarrassment she’s had to stare down with this whole affair being dragged into a public setting?

I’m not raising these questions to judge or cast blame; I haven’t even read most of what was written (nor will I). I’m just making a point here. Harassment of the sort Zoe’s had to deal with is NEVER okay, and I feel for her, but there are too many external factors. It’s just plain inappropriate for a group of relative strangers to offer up what amounts to a reassuring pat on the back. This is the very definition of a personal matter, and I’m sure Zoe has a support network that she’s leaning on right now to help her through.

Y’all are gonna do what you’re gonna do, but I think you really need to give some serious consideration to exactly who you’d be serving here by sending a group note."

August 20
Kyle Orland
-Straight up states that he doesn't care if the allegations Adam Rosenberg brought up are true, except inasmuch as they might implicate corruption in game journalism (though it's left unsaid whether or not he cares if the implications might be true ABOUT corruption in game journalism)
-But he concedes that a group public note of support is a bad idea
-Mentions articles related to the issue on Vice and by John Walker (Founder and Contributor at Rock, Paper, Shotgun), notes that John Walker brings up the silence amongst games journalists (but Walker affirms belief that it is a positive strategy)

Mike Futter
-Expresses frustration at being caught between the "victim" who doesn't want it discussed and "a crusader shaming those of us who honor those wishes"
-It occurs to me now that it's frustrating that Zoe's given automatic benefit-of-the-doubt as the "victim" here.

James Fudge
-Points out that the above John Walker piece appeared on his blog and not Rock, Paper, Shotgun, but when/if Walker posts it there he would "be more than happy to consider following his lead"

Susan Arendt (Managing Editor of Joystiq)
-"Count me out of the letter, for a wide variety of reasons."

Kyle Orland
-Links to Patrick Klepek's blog

Matthew Hawkins
-(I think he's agreeing with Susan Arendt, but it's not strictly clear)

Mike Rougeau (Freelance Writer at Kotaku, Game Spot, et al.)
-Also agrees with Susan Arendt

Dan Starkey
-Remarks that the letter idea is dead and that he reached out to Zoe personally

Kyle Orland
-Reaffirms Dan Starkey's statements

Kyle Orland (again)
-Links to an article by Stephen Totilo on Kotaku

William O'Neal (Editor in Chief at TechRadar.com)
-"Who here hasn't slept with a PR person or game developer? #AMIRITE"
-Classy.

Adam Rosenberg
-"Ween - Don't Shit Where You Eat"
-It's a song, I had to look it up to be sure I wasn't missing some reference.  Presumably in reply to William O'Neal.

August 23
-Note the three day gap...?

Andy Eddy
-Recounts being told not to embarrass the company by getting drunk and sleeping with people at events, and, of course, "don't dip your pen in the company ink"
-Classy.

Kyle Orland
-Notes that "this whole thing is reaching the mainstream via Amanda Marcotte and The Daily Beast, who links it to the larger 'misogyny in gaming' angle"
-Links to the mentioned article

August 26
-Another three day gap.

Kyle Orland
-Links to another article on Kotaku by Totilo
-Remarks that, on Twitter, Totilo draws a line between supporting a developer on Patreon (not okay) and backing a game on Kickstarter (okay)
  Britton Peele
-Comments on the Patreon/Kickstarter thing

August 27
Scott Nichols
-Continued discussion of Patreon vs Kickstarter

August 29
Kyle Orland
-Calls the interview with Eron Gjoni (Zoe's ex) on Vice "shockingly sympathetic"
-Doesn't seem to get the whole Vivian James thing

Chris Dahlen
-Says it just "seems to confirm that this kid is a gigantic fucking idiot"

August 30
James Fudge
-"he's got a classic case of buyer's remorse."

Britni Danielle ??? (I think?  Only identified as "Danielle" in the GameJournoPros e-mails.  Elsewise, Britni Danielle is a freelance journalist of unclear affiliation.)
-Whines about how "this jilted moron" put Zoe in daaaaaaaangerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Philip Kollar (Editor at Polygon)
-Agrees with Danielle and "would argue that interviewing the ex-boyfriend is probably a poor choice"
-Why?

September 1
Susan Arendt
-Writes:
"'...it's hard not to sympathize [with Eron]'

Actually, it's not hard at all.  Pretty damn easy, in fact.  Fuck that guy." 

Ben Kuchera
-"I had the same reaction.  That Vice article is bullshit."

Dan Starkey
-More of the above

William O'Neal
-"Dude comes across like a psychopath."

Andy Eddy
-Whinges more about the Vice article, says it's ironic that a "guy who posts numerous personal IM chats with someone [asking] for parts of his conversation to be off-the-record"

James Fudge
-One last cheap shot at Eron Gjoni

-----
<Reserved for further analysis.>

This Really BUGs Me

I've been almost completely unable to play any kind of game on my current computer (aside from stuff on PPSSPP which has so far been miraculously behaving) for about a month now.  I could write a lot about the months leading up to it and of late, but I'll save that for a more bored time--or if I can narrow down the actual problem.