Screengrab from White House live stream of President Obama's final press conference of 2014, on December 19, 2014.
President Obama gave his final press briefing of 2014 today, and the hack attacks on Sony Pictures, which the administration blames on North Korea, were reporters' first questions. "Sony made a mistake" by pulling the film from theaters, replied the president.
Obama began by recapping a list of administration accomplishments: energy, the economy, completion of the auto industry bailout, American leadership around the world with regard to the Islamic state, Russian aggression in Ukraine, and leading the fight against Ebola. Energy and climate change were on his list, as was Cuba and the end of America's combat mission in Afghanistan. "Pick any metric that you want," said Obama. "America’s resurgence is real. We’re better off."
But the main topic on everyone's minds today was the bizarre series of hacking attacks on Sony Pictures, which the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and now Obama himself have formally blamed on North Korea. The breach appears to have been motivated by "The Interview," a comedy starring James Franco and Seth Rogen about the assassination of the regime's leader, Kim Jong-Un. The hackers demanded that Sony not release it, under threat of violence. Sony complied.
One important point in the President's remarks today: a potentially ominous nod to the need for more regulation and control over the internet. The internet now is like "the Wild West," he said, "We need more rules about how the internet should operate." Cybersecurity is an urgent issue, and the Sony hacks underscore that, said the president. But when heads of state talk about more state control over the internet, rarely does greater freedom of speech result.
Below, our live-tweets on the portion of the press conference that addressed the Sony hacks.
Obama references "Who's been naughty and who's been nice list" first reporter question: North Korea. What is a proportional response?
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: "Sony is a corporation. It suffered significant damage. Threats against employees. I'm sympathetic to concerns."
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: I think Sony made a mistake.
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: Focus must be on cybersecurity and preventing attacks like Sony hack from taking place. A lot needs to be done.
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: We need strong cybersecurity laws allowing for info-sharing across private and public sectors. But as we get better, hackers will too
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: If they can censor a comedy, imagine what happens when they see a documentary or news report they don't like.
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: What if producers self-censor because they don't want to offend the sensibilities of someone whose sensibilities should be offended.
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: I wish Sony had spoken to be first. I'd have told them, do not get into a pattern where you're intimidated by these kinds of attacks.
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: We will engage with the private sector around these issues. There will be breaches like this. They'll be costly and serious.
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: But we can't change our patterns of behavior any more than we stop going to a football game because possibility of terrorist attack.
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: Any more than Boston stopping marathon because someone may cause harm.
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama won't say if he'll watch #TheInterview.
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: I think it says something about #NorthKorea that they had state launch all-out attack on movie starring Seth Rogen and James Franco.
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
President Obama actually said "James FLACCO," with audible disdain, and it was the best moment of this press conference.
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: We will respond at a time and in a manner that we choose, I will not announce response to #northkorea at this time.
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: We will respond at a time and in a manner that we choose, I will not announce response to #northkorea at this time.
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: Now internet is wild west, we need more rules about how the internet should operate. Cybersecurity is urgent issue.
[Uh-oh—XJ]
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: If we don't put architecture in place, this will affect more than movies, will affect our entire economy in ways that are significant
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama: No indication #NorthKorea was acting in conjunction with another country [for example, China].
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
Obama, asked about possible responses to #NorthKorea: We confirmed it was NK, we are working up a range of options, I will make a decision.
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) December 19, 2014
