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[ Ron NSFWorkman's blog ]

To catch a predator (Defcon 2007 Reporter edition)
Ron NSFWorkman \| 11:32 PM on 08.04.2007	41 comments

Undercover reporter Michelle Madigan (Associate Producer of NBC Dateline) got a little more than she bargained for when she tried to sneak in to DEFCON 2007 with hidden cameras to get someone to confess to a felony. When DEFCON staff announced the “spot the undercover reporter” game and told the audience that an undercover reporter was taking video to catch someone confessing to a hacking crime, Madigan bolted from the conference premises followed by a pack of ~150 DEFCON attendees and reporters trying to photograph and video tape her. DEFCON officials never got the chance to bring Madigan on stage to offer her a press badge so that she could cover the rest of the event above board.

DEFCON organizers caught wind of this from undisclosed sources and casually contacted Madigan to see if she wanted official press credentials and a press badge to cover DEFCON. Reporters in the pressroom were then fully briefed on the situation before the “spot the undercover reporter game” so that they could cover the event.

[Via George Ou of Zdnet]

Original article is here

Note from Ron. If you want a 425 x 350 youtube video to be full size, change both size lines in the embed code to 550 x 453 when you "Put the file in the basket."

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28 comments | showing # 1 to 28

bluemeep says:
(# 0) on 08/04/2007 23:47

Well, NBC has to one-up FOX's Anonymous: Super Hackers of Steroids story somehow.

the GAMEGOBLIN says:
(# 1) on 08/05/2007 00:00

Serves her right. I wish I was there so I could throw an apple meringue tart at her face.

Mxyzptlk says:
(# 2) on 08/05/2007 00:02

So awesome.

LostCrichton says:
(# 3) on 08/05/2007 00:22

That was so full of win. I watched another vid that followed her further. Thank you Ron for making me smile. I can't believe she didn't have the guts to get a press badge and still try to salvage some part of the story.

Riser Glen says:
(# 4) on 08/05/2007 00:36

Did she realize where she was? That was DEFCON for christ's sake, not some sort of furry convention. I mean, really...I'm just blown away at how stupid...fuck it...I'm speechless.

Summary: The fucking idiot got what was coming to her.

Kotua says:
(# 5) on 08/05/2007 01:31

I didn't know what that convention was until I googled it.

Pretty stupid of a Reporter to try that. She deserved it.
I mean, they did tell her previously if she wanted a Press Pass.

oh well. More Lulz for us.

Riser Glen says:
(# 6) on 08/05/2007 01:33

@Action Bastard

People don't watch To Catch a Predator to see justice served, they watch it because it's funny as hell.

Also, I believe it's safe to assume that most of the people that attend DefCon don't go out of their way to have sex with children. If it was called "BabyRapeCon," I could see how a comparison could be made.

(I suggest reading the full story, seeing how she was offered a press pass 4 times.)

MaximusPaynicus says:
(# 7) on 08/05/2007 01:36

You know, as I said in my latest edition of "t3h w31rd"... how the fuck are you going to go into a hacker convention with a hidden cam and not have someone notice? These are some of the smartest mother fuckers on the planet Earth you're trying to trick, dipshit!

ArrestedDeveloper says:
(# 8) on 08/05/2007 01:40

I'd hack her hardrive.....by hardrive I mean vagina.

Mxyzptlk says:
(# 9) on 08/05/2007 01:48

@ Action Bastard:

This chick was just trying to put together a shock piece without showing a full picture of what Defcon is actually about. She was repeatedly offered the chance to get a press pass and cover the event properly; she thought she'd be slick and put together a skewed hidden camera expose in order to frighten middle America. She deserved to be outed.

Riser Glen says:
(# 10) on 08/05/2007 02:31

I didn't dodge it.

To Catch a Predator = Funny
To Catch a Hacker = Not Funny

Kotua says:
(# 11) on 08/05/2007 02:34

To Catch a Reporter = Funny

BenHaskett says:
(# 12) on 08/05/2007 02:43

That wasn't funny at all, just kinda pathetic.

Mxyzptlk says:
(# 13) on 08/05/2007 03:12

@ Action Bastard:

Obviously you've never watched Dateline NBC. It's sensationalist tabloid tv posing as undercover journalism. Their reporters care very little for the truth, they're concerned about putting "shocking" spins on stories.

Mxyzptlk says:
(# 14) on 08/05/2007 03:24

Once again, you've obviously never watched Dateline NBC.

MaximusPaynicus says:
(# 15) on 08/05/2007 03:33

@ Action Bastard
No, dude -- Dateline NBC is perhaps the lowest news show on the major three networks. It's no FOX News as far as trash goes, but it's pretty deep in the hole.

BahamutZero says:
(# 16) on 08/05/2007 03:39

action is a digg troll from the other day - ignored as lame

Mxyzptlk says:
(# 17) on 08/05/2007 03:53

Actually, it's pretty easy to discount what you're saying simply because you're being a blatant troll.

BahamutZero says:
(# 18) on 08/05/2007 04:07

ok, congratulations. you're still annoying.

ArrestedDeveloper says:
(# 19) on 08/05/2007 04:20

@Action Bastard
The Bastard in your name is very fitting. amirite?

Mxyzptlk says:
(# 20) on 08/05/2007 04:54

Wow, this from the guy who's been throwing insults at everyone else... Pot calling the kettle black much?

Once again, obvious troll is obvious.

atheistium says:
(# 21) on 08/05/2007 05:52

that's a bit epic win!

HappyMachete says:
(# 22) on 08/05/2007 08:40

Action isn't acting like a troll at all... or maybe we have different definitions of "troll".

Azereki says:
(# 23) on 08/05/2007 09:14

Riser Glen says:
(# 24) on 08/05/2007 09:22

He responded seriously to a post which contained "BabyRapeCon." I'm afraid I'm going to have to call "Agenda Troll."

Riser Glen says:
(# 25) on 08/05/2007 09:44

"...lamest Superman villains of all time."

He's also:

A) Not very clever (if you are going to make a comeback, don't talk about people's screennames or avatars. I can respect a witty burn and those are nothing of the sort.)

B) Wrong. Not only does Mxyzptlk make for some great and hilarious books, he is also loved by Superman fans.

Riser Glen says:
(# 26) on 08/05/2007 14:38

Troll.

MidwayMark says:
(# 27) on 08/06/2007 16:09

Did they really need to be "tipped-off" that she was a reporter? It was a hot chick at DEFCON...i'm pretty sure it's obvious who the mole is

HIYOOOO

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about me
If you want to know whats going on with me outside of gaming, I now keep a Tumblr blog and plan to write on it pretty often. Everybody says that though. Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/ronworkman Look I drink... Name: Ron Age: 99 According to Myspace which never lies Location: Sarasota, Florida. USA America Me: I was born and raised a small black child in Kantucky. I don't remember what I did there aside from drink. I was an only child, so I didn't want to be a virgin forever so I packed up everything on my horse, kissed my coon dog, turned white, and headed to Florida. I have worked in a few different tech industries for companies like Apple Microsoft, Sun, and actually owned a business installing high end home theaters and networks. I enjoy playing video games, fuckin, racist comments, drinking, making fun of NamelessTed, funny cblog posts, drinking, bashing Paris Hilton every chance I get (She is a dumb whore!) and flea market porno. I have been in a few Mexican Cockfights and have done some awesome shit concerning video games, but its just not going to change me. Im just a guy that loves gaming. Its always going to be that way. I might have a solid gold house and a rocketcar, but all I need is this community, booze, games, mouse, and I'll be fine. Look for me on the new season of "Cops"