Creator of phony story works in Texas' IT department OU Internet hoax: UT determines Conradt didn't use company computer to create fake article Creator of phony story works in Texas' IT department
The Nebraska football fan living in Austin, Texas, is a computing services manager in the information technology department at the University of Texas.
Wednesday, the 36-year-old Conradt wrote a bogus article about Bradford and Jones being arrested on cocaine distribution charges, then posted it on a message board. At least two Texas radio stations initially reported the fake incident as fact as the hoax spread across the Internet.
Both Kevin Jones, Landry's father, and David Thompson, publisher of TheOklahoman, are considering legal action.
Following an investigation, University of Texas officials concluded Thursday that Conradt didn't use a company computer or company time to create the article.
In 2005, Conradt, known on the Web by his screen name "DarthHusker,” was featured in an article by the Lincoln Journal Star about the rising impact of message boards and their potential danger.
"I think anonymity brings out the worst in people. There are no consequences for saying what you say,” Conradt told the Star then. "New people come along all the time and are naive and believe too much of what they read.
"A lot of people just post stuff to stir the pot.”
Thank you for joining our conversations on newsok. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Let's stay on track folks. It isn't about being able to take a joke.
It is ok if Conradt wrote his "story/parody" and signed his blog name. Everyone reading it would know the blogger wrote it and rate its credibility/funniness accordingly.
The problem is that he appropriated a newspaper's by-line/signature which gave the story instant credibility simply because it appeared as being printed by a newspaper and thus factual.
It is defamatory. Whether the damaged parties choose to or even can ultimately recover remains to be seen.
The fact that he (Contadt) didn't use his real name on the "story/parody" clearly shows he did not want to be personally identified with it. Too many bolgs and bloggers seem to take this same attitude. Maybe if folks were required to use their real names it would raise the level of the blogs.
I never even heard about this flap until it was exposed as a hoax. And I live and breathe crimson & cream. This is not just like phishing scams, because nobody's identity or anything else was stolen from them. Why should he be fired? He did nothing on the company dime. Why should he be sued? He did nothing any different than any other parody might have. Give me a break, people... get your panties out of a bunch and learn to laugh and be human for crying out loud.
Jennifer: You are wrong. There HAS been harm done, and this guy should be fired AND sued. He needs to pay for this blatantly libelous action. It was not a "parody" as someone suggested. He did his level best to make it as real as possible, just like the "phishing" scams that go on constantly on the internet. You would be surprised at how many people heard the story but NOT the follow-up exposure of the scam. A lot of this stuff sticks, and no doubt thousands of people will never hear the truth. That's why he needs to be slapped down, not just for a vengeful punishment, but for the lingering effect stories like this can have. The next person who thinks a "prank" like this would be cool needs to know that there are consequences to his actions. It isn't the same as talking trash on a message board, where everyone understands that everything posted in a trash-talking manner is just blather.
This story doesn't make sense. Anyone can save a web page and change the text in it. It doesn't take an IT person to do that. But then again... a story like that doesn't exactly draw in the readers. Much better to be like a tabloid and try to implicate the guy's job into this non-story.
This is much ado about nothing much. Instead of pursuing this misguided Husker fan, Landry Jones' father and the publisher of the Oklahoman should instead direct their ire at the radio stations that took this bogus story and ran with it as fact.
Where do their responsibilities as broadcasters lie? Who is going to hold them accountable?
Anyone who thinks something posted on a college football fan Internet board is a factual, newsworthy scoop and doesn't bother to verify whether or not the so-called facts pass the red-faced test is an idiot.
"i would rather be from "Stillwater" and support a team win or lose"...Of course...Pokes Men's basketball team stunk this past year and attendance didn't decline at all...Oh wait a minute...Never mind
wow B! "Stoolwater"... man, that is very clever! i sure wish i was as clever as yourself. i would rather be from "Stillwater" and support a team win or lose, than be from Norman and share one pair of testicles with the rest of "Sooner Nation". depending on the blogs you read and the sites you visit... they can in fact be "unbiased". this guy Conradt didn't do anything that the rest of you bottom feeding, trailer park living, white trash wal-mart employees haven't done before in support of your team... the only difference is that he probably doesn't jump off the band wagon when his team loses. the greatest day of the year is always OU's first loss... then 80% of the "Sooner fan's" go back in the closet for another year. you people are pathetic.
What's really bizarre is that this clown never attended school ONE DAY at Nebraska. He's just another Drudge wannabe. I hope both Kevin Jones and the DOK makes him regret this stunt. BTW...Conradt could do some prison time for this. It is a crime to do this.
Nathan, while you're learning to spell you should know the word is "liable" not "libel" when referring to the Oklahoman's action to "stir up a riot".
if this guys wasn't a texas fan... the daily oklahoman would probably snatch him up as their "top" sports journalist/writer. i personally enjoy "blogs" and online chat like this because you don't always have to hear the biased opinions of over paid writers for one of the worst newspapers in the country. tramel/trotter/carlson/insert no talent writer's name here...do this state a disservice. there are more important sports stories than what some guy down in texas did... so what? the oklahoman could technically be held libel for insiting(sp) a riot. why stir up more trouble? wait for football season and the police blotter will fill up rather quickly for your boys in norman... give it time!
"A lot of people just post stuff to stir the pot.” What is truely sad, nop one in Oklahoma would have known if it hadn't been stirred up by the Daily Disappointment. Talk about stirring the pot. Who has the spoon now? Yesterday, Berry...today Jake.
I agree with de. I also have a problem with Berry referring to the guy as no Lee Harvey Oswald. Berry, think before you speak. We are referring to a man who posted a fake story on a message board. Not even in the same ballpark as a man who single-handedley changed the course of a nation. C'mon Berry.
i just watched tramels video, basically saying that the real problem in college sports is the message board. normally i don't have an issue with tramel, but to say that people shouldn't discuss (electronically) sports is just preposterous as saying "people who get paid to write about college sports is the problem with college sports". it's the internet: get over it.
There is a law concerning libel. If this was perpitrated in a way to defame character and it could not be clearly seen as a joke then the law was broken. I did not see the material with my own eyes and I am reserving judement but if it was done in a way that it was intended to look official and not just as a joke then there should be due process of law on the perpitrator. If it was clearly a joke, and no one had a reason to believe it was true then it was just in poor taste.
65
Featured Video
Prev
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
Thank you for joining our conversations on newsok. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Log in below or sign up (it's free).
It is ok if Conradt wrote his "story/parody" and signed his blog name. Everyone reading it would know the blogger wrote it and rate its credibility/funniness accordingly.
The problem is that he appropriated a newspaper's by-line/signature which gave the story instant credibility simply because it appeared as being printed by a newspaper and thus factual.
It is defamatory. Whether the damaged parties choose to or even can ultimately recover remains to be seen.
The fact that he (Contadt) didn't use his real name on the "story/parody" clearly shows he did not want to be personally identified with it. Too many bolgs and bloggers seem to take this same attitude. Maybe if folks were required to use their real names it would raise the level of the blogs.
This is much ado about nothing much. Instead of pursuing this misguided Husker fan, Landry Jones' father and the publisher of the Oklahoman should instead direct their ire at the radio stations that took this bogus story and ran with it as fact.
Where do their responsibilities as broadcasters lie? Who is going to hold them accountable?
Anyone who thinks something posted on a college football fan Internet board is a factual, newsworthy scoop and doesn't bother to verify whether or not the so-called facts pass the red-faced test is an idiot.