djttweets | 13 points | Nov 21 2016 19:51:49

Twittergate Related: A Discussion of the Ethics of a Government-Related Child Exploitation Operation.

Hello, I look new but I've been recycling my old social media accounts to de-identify as much as possible going into this topic. I'd like to invite you all to define and discuss what it means when the federal government is involved in child exploitation; in my opinion, this is the best possible light in which the twittergate shitstorm can be cast.

There seems to be a few angles on the situation we're seeing (listed from worst to best in terms of societal implications). 1) There is an international pedophilia ring that controls actions of government/prominent figures, run almost entirely by unaccountable figures outside government(s). 2) There is an international pedophilia crime syndicate which is monitored and infiltrated by government(s). (3) There is an international pedophilia task force which acts as a honeypot for ensnaring potential or repeat offenders.

The most ambiguous and most likely option is that all 3 exist on some level.

I want to start with common ground - pedophilia. Pedophilia is remarkable because it remains one of the last 'hard' social taboos in western nations. Because it is nearly universally reviled in public life, perpetrators can expect no recourse and no mercy in the court of public opinion. There have been a few attempts to humanize pedophiles in media outlets, but it seems to be a HARD bedrock to crack - people in general are not prepared to 'go there.' This leads to a big problem: blackmail.

Political blackmail is mostly unseen, but it would be stupid to assume that blackmail is not rampant. Exposing pedophilia in elected officials should be rightfully regarded as a death sentence to their political career. I'm asking: What arises from an organization that is capable of ending political careers? Does it matter if the organization is controlled by the government or not?

My conclusion, right now, is that the mere possibility of blackmail related to pedophilia is a crisis in the administration of government.

Regarding scenario 1, the problem is obvious. If there were an undemocratic organization that possessed blackmail on major political figures in key positions of government, their influence would be as far-reaching as they would be interested in taking it. It would most likely involve most organizations and political positions in "democratic" nations that are unable to control the flow of information. Simply put, 'having the goods' on a public figure would allow the holder to impeach, forcefully remove, or stage revolution should the information be released to the public. To a governed citizen, this would likely be viewed as unacceptable.

Regarding scenarios 2 and 3, there would be government monitoring of such networks to some extent. Because this issue is ultimately under the jurisdiction of elected officials, a level of legitimacy is introduced - but that comforting legitimacy is erased soon. The organization that handles this information is given political power that is virtually unmatched, and the officials overseeing such an organization inherit obvious leverage with which they can kill many important political careers. There is no publicly stated policy to regulate this power. To a governed citizen, this might be viewed as unacceptable - but because it involves the government, it is more difficult to argue because of a partisan identity.

There are two roads to absolution of the pedophilia in politics issue: 1: We accept pedophilia as a social norm. 2: We expose and/or remove pedophiles who are in positions of power.

Because #1 will likely not be accepted (you are here, after all), I argue that a broad net is best when exposing pedophilia. Whether it is a darknet operation, crime syndicate, or government agency, the political risk inherent in a child exploitation operation should be unacceptable to a nation that has elected officials. Full exposure until full disclosure.

Thank you for your time! Please let me know if you agree/disagree.

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