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(not satire)

In my experience newspaper hacks are the thinnest-skinned people imaginable when it comes to criticism and like to jump up and down threatening libel at the drop of a hat. Considering they like to dish it out to other people on a regular basis – it rather points to them not being able to take it back – like classic bullies. 

That’s why I’m not entirely surprised that former Daily Mail / Daily Express hack Sonia Poulton  – who boasted recently about being able to “trace” Twitter users’ personal phone numbers and addresses – has threatened to sue me for simply asking her how she did it.

Sonia issued the threat – saying she has “an absolute case of libel” against me – but said she will only continue with the action if I “want to be an idiot and try more trouble”.

In other words – shut the f**k up with your criticisms or I will use all the financial and legal resources available from my employers to shut you up myself.

Well. So much for journalists being fans of free speech.

So here’s my reply to those threats.

Sonia, I am calling your bluff. I will not shut up. I will not stop criticising those in power, whether they be journalists, politicians or the powerful and influential.

In fact, just to make sure you don’t now back out of your threat, I will be posting another blog post in the next couple of days explaining just why I think you are really so keen to shut me up.

And then another explaining why we must stand up to abuses of civil liberties – especially by journalists – no matter who is responsible for the abuse.

So sue me. Close down my blog – I’ll only pop up again somewhere else. Let’s have it out in court. Because then maybe you will finally be forced to answer my original simple question.

How the Hell did a national newspaper journalist manage to trace Twitter users’ personal phone numbers and home addresses?

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Related articles by Tom Pride:

Fears Rise of Zombie Apocalypse after Deal on Press Regulation

Amazing hypocrisy! Sun, Telegraph and Mail use EU Human Rights Convention to boycott press regulations

Innocent victims caught in the conflict between the mainstream press and social media

The Sun, The Telegraph and The Mail – we’re above UK laws so we’ll ignore them

Just 4 billionaire tax exiles – friends of Cameron – will benefit from weak press regulation

Remember this? Murdoch hack drove Denholm Elliot’s daughter to suicide

How Murdoch hack Isabel Oakeshott cold-bloodedly sold out her friend for money

Met Office takes apart Daily Mail climate-change denier and Cameron friend James Delingpole

Daily Mail uses an actress for another story to demonise the working class

Oops! The Daily Mail accidentally supports a fascist party. Again.

Daily Mail ‘fixer’ David Rose defends paedophilia accused and attacks child abuse victims. Again.

The Sun, The Mail et al – sorry, did we say 120,000 problem families? We meant 16.

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Please feel free to comment – you don’t need to register and in the name of free speech I allow even negative comments about me too  – so please go ahead.

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