If the info you researched was for an article of Blog you intended to write/release, why first post in on a Facebook group to begin with?]
It wasn't. I wasn't researching information in the role of a reporter, even if I was using tools that I learned in my craft. But they are tools that anyone can use. I was researching as someone interested in what's going on, just like many of you.
If it was just personal research (for whatever reason); was it really necessary to post the actual address publically, etc?
Once again, I didn't post the address publicly. I linked to a corporate records document, which is available to anyone. Simply visit Sunbiz.org, and you can explore every single corporation that exists (and maybe even no longer exists) by a simple Web search.
I never posted the actual address. I did, however, link to public documents, like a corporate record and a property deed (also public record) that posted the address.
I didn't include the address on those records.
Florida does not allow P.O. Boxes for corporate addresses, and so I can understand why you have to put some address. But Florida (like many other states) have private P.O. Box companies that actually provide you with a street address, that conforms to Florida's corporation laws. If Alec Peters was really all that caught up in the private address, why did he use it in a public document, especially when there were other options available to him, like a secondary address through a private P.O. Box company?
So why is that my fault? I have had to research corporate records many times, especially as a real estate reporter. And more times than I would like, a company's address ends up at a private P.O. Box. But hey, if th law allows it, then great.
The fact is, I didn't use that address in public documents.
Yes, the info is out there (Hell, printed and online phone books still exist to this day with personal names and addresses all made public for anyone to see); but IMO it's irresponsible (not illegal) to just put it out there without a VERY good reason (you being a party to the CBS lawsuit would qualify, but I don't think you are);
I'm sorry, but where do we draw the line? This thread is more than 300 pages, mostly of people laughing and having fun, and even discussing different aspects of the case, right down to outright speculation that even made me nervous. But that's OK? But asking questions, and providing publicly available comment is out of bounds?
The sad part about doing anything investigative, whether it's professional or personal, is that it seems to be where some people draw the line, like it's an invasion of privacy — even if the sources used are public, as in this case.
I didn't provide any source that anyone else could easily look for, without really digging. I mean, it took me just a few minutes to find it ... I'm sure it would take someone who is not trained to find things just a short time longer. It's not hidden.
