Comment on Ars Technica Fires Reporter After AI Controversy Involving Fabricated Quotes
artyom@piefed.social 1 day agobut he was sick, and he did make a mistake, and him being fired does not make either of those things false.
No, but those things also do not excuse his actions, which is why I said he should be, and ultimately was, fired. And I think that’s a positive thing.
Also, a ton of people were piling on him in that thread, so you had plenty of company in calling him to be fired.
The point is, plenty of people were downvoting me and defending him (such as yourself), which is what made it “controversial”. I was explaining this to the person who was confused as to why it was controversial.
totally_human_emdash_user@piefed.blahaj.zone 1 day ago
I agree that these things do not excuse his actions, but there was a tendency in that thread to paint him in the worst possible light, which I felt was uncalled for.
I am said to have seen him be fired from Ars because I think there were mitigating circumstances—it is troubling that he felt the need to work while sick!—but on the other hand, given how badly he violated the trust placed in him, it is hard to see how Ars could have made any other choice.
artyom@piefed.social 1 day ago
Moreso than violating the trust placed in him is violating the trust readers put into the Ars publication.
totally_human_emdash_user@piefed.blahaj.zone 1 day ago
I agree, that is a better way of putting it.