Privacy, confidentiality, anonymity, discretion, deceit, paranoia. Part 5
January 15, 2019
By Gonzalo López Martí – Creative director, etc / LMMiami.com
- If you are a government official vulnerable to blackmail because, say, a foreign power has a “kompromat” in its possession (eg; a salacious video of your naked self canoodling with a sex worker in a hotel room), it is not a privacy issue, it is a matter of integrity.
- “Never do or say anything you wouldn’t do or say in front of your kids.”
- Or in front of your constituents.
- Or your significant other.
- Speaking of which, a few years back David Letterman was blackmailed by a former employee of his production company.
- This gentleman threatened the late night personality with publishing an exposé unless he coughed up a considerable amount of cash.
- It just so happens that the threat was substantiated: Dave had in fact conducted an affair with a female employee for quite some time.
- During office hours.
- On the premises.
- Surprisingly, or not, Letterman was coolheaded enough to apply the good old rule: never negotiate with terrorists.
- Swallow the poison pill if need be.
- Next thing you know he disclosed the details of the whole imbroglio during one of his opening monologues, admitting and apologizing for his lecherous behavior.
- Not sure if this little tale has anything to do with privacy but I LOVE the masterful PR maneuver Letterman pulled to handle it.
- His ratings even went up.
- Can we handle the truth?
- Maybe we can, maybe we cannot.
- Just give it to us warts and all and let us decide whether you are discrete or simply conniving.
- Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
- To be continued next week.
To view
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Part 4:
