Obama Addresses Sony Hack, North Korea Responsible

The FBI has officially named the North Korean government as responsible for the hack of Sony Entertainment computer networks that led to a massive leak of sensitive emails and other proprietary information. President Obama later addressed the hack and it’s aftermath in his end of the year address to reporters.

The FBI said in its statement:

As a result of our investigation, and in close collaboration with other U.S. Government departments and agencies, the FBI now has enough information to conclude that the North Korean government is responsible for these actions. While the need to protect sensitive sources and methods precludes us from sharing all of this information, our conclusion is based, in part, on the following:

North Korea’s actions were intended to inflict significant harm on a U.S. business and suppress the right of American citizens to express themselves. Such acts of intimidation fall outside the bounds of acceptable state behavior.

The North Korean cyberattackers demanded that a motion picture comedy, The Interview, that stars Seth Rogen and James Franco be shelved completely and permanently. The film revolves around a plot to assassinate Kim Jong Un, the current dictator of North Korea.

Sony refused to cave into the cyberattackers demands, until major theater chains refused to show the film in the wake of terrorist threats that included remarks like “remember the 11th of September 2001.” The beleaguered studio finally pulled the film from it’s scheduled Christmas Day release. It won’t be shown on VOD, DVD or any other platform, either.

Sony said in a statement:

Sony Pictures has been the victim of an unprecedented criminal assault against our employees, our customers, and our business. Those who attacked us stole our intellectual property, private emails, and sensitive and proprietary material, and sought to destroy our spirit and our morale – all apparently to thwart the release of a movie they did not like. We are deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie, and in the process do damage to our company, our employees, and the American public. We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.

Weighing in on the situation during his end of the year address to reporters, President Obama said that he wished Sony had talked to him first before pulling the film.

“Sony’s a corporation, it suffered significant damage, there were threats against its employees. I am sympathetic to the concerns that they faced … having said all that, yes, I think they made a mistake,” said the president.

“We cannot have a society in which some dictator in some place can start imposing censorship here in the U.S. If somebody can intimidate folks out of releasing a satirical comedy, imagine what they’ll do when they see a documentary or political film they don’t like?

“That’s not what we are, that’s not what America’s about. I’m sympathetic that some private company was worried about liabilities. I wish they’d spoken to me first. Do not get into a pattern in which we’re intimidated by these kind of criminal attacks.”

In name checking the stars, Obama mispronounced James Franco calling him “James Flacco.” The flub begins at the 5:43 mark. Obama promises that the US will respond “proportionally” and in “a place and time and manner that we choose.”

Sony should have contacted authorities first before pulling the plug on the film. It probably won’t have the intended effect of stopping the cyberterrorists. In an email sent to several Sony employees, the hackers threaten, “Now we want you [to] never let the movie released, distributed or leaked in any form of, for instance, DVD or piracy” Sony can’t stop the film from leaking online. In any case–blackmailers are never happy. Sony’s decision to totally shelve the film has put the power totally into the hands of the cyberterrorists. They aren’t just going to walk away now.

Also, SHAME on the entertainment and news organizations that published and disseminated the leaked information. They aided and abetted a brutal regime in their quest to censor and bully Americans. There was NO redeeming value to the gossipy stories that resulted from the leaks. I understand the battle for the almighty click, but the news community should have banded together and resolved not to play into the hands of terrorists. ANY site that posted leaked information is in no position to criticize Sony for caving.

About mj santilli 34832 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!