Readers React: Sony hack reveals the ugly side of Hollywood

To the editor: The purpose of the mysterious cyberattack on Sony Pictures has been obvious from the beginning. It was done mainly to humiliate executives and expose the entertainment business for what it is: an elitist group of egomaniacs. (“Sony calls on media to stop publishing hacked documents,” Dec. 14)

The embarrassing damage to key Hollywood players is ongoing, and the media are having a field day with the story. But the real problem is that no corporation can completely defend itself from cyberattacks.

With that fact in mind, maybe the best way to keep private conversations from becoming part of the national dialogue is to actually keep them private. In today’s world of cyberattacks and identity theft, personal emails can go public quicker than you can say “firewall.”

So it’s best to adhere to this adage: If you have something bad to say about somebody, say it to his face.

Charles Reilly, Manhattan Beach

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To the editor: The U.S. media have willingly become the cudgel with which the worst regime on Earth punishes its enemies. Score a point for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un if studio Co-chairman Amy Pascal is fired because the media chose sensationalism over protecting a victim of cybercrime.

If “The Interview” inspires a lake-of-fire response from North Korea for portraying a plot to kill Kim, Sony will have failed to exercise its freedom of speech responsibly. Barring that, by keeping the story of someone’s worst moments in email correspondence alive, the media have already failed in their duty to use discretion when choosing what to report.

As for me, I will buy a full-price ticket to support the enemies of cyberterrorists and to exercise my right to see a movie that could never be seen in a place like North Korea.

David Twomey, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Please quit publishing private emails and information from Sony executives. Their correspondence is none of my business.

I would never dream of going to other people’s computers and reading their emails; neither should you.

Julie Steele, Los Angeles

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