Hacker News Reader

Comment by alexanderlabrie | Hacker News Reader

Small potatoes. I can't imagine legal action helping much. Move on from the unpleasant experience and help others who face greater injustices.

View on HN

You underestimate how far some people are willing to go to harass someone, and in his case it has financial consequences, hence the lawyers.

False: OP has not mentioned any financial consequences, only that he had to "give explanations to sponsors."

Probably because OP is not seeking legal action in Hacker News Court, but in a real court where broadcasting details of such information is not a good idea.

...and how unbalanced it can be when one of the parties is an attorney.

>I can't imagine legal action helping much.

If they're continuing to harass them as described, it seems like a prudent choice.

What's outlined in the article doesn't meet the burden of proof. There was a conflict and OP solipsistically experienced it as a big deal. Meanwhile, there's plenty of oppression and destitution in the world, but let's all focus on some low-level drama because it's more entertaining.

>doesn't meet the burden of proof.

What burden of proof?

It may be low-level drama to you, but clearly the author felt threatened by the couple. The spam messages, the threats to release personal information, etc. I would have no qualms with seeking legal action.

Personally I'd feel really concerned if someone upset at a conference ... contacted a personal acquaintance who is involved in it all like a girl friend.

To me that would indicate some serious "boundaries issues."

Much closer to high school drama than illegality. OP will never obtain any judgment. I didn't think the HN community would so easily succumb to mob mentality due to a compelling narrative about a non-problem but I guess this is the Internet.

> OP will never obtain any judgment.

In cases where someone feels harassed "judgment" isn't necessarily even the point.

Legal action is taken, you get a lawyer, they get a lawyer... often their lawyer tells them not to contact you or people you know anymore (because that is what a good lawyer will do) and it is effectively resolved. For some people that may be enough / the entire goal and it can cost as little as everyone talking to a lawyer once.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com