BuzzFeed backlash after ‘doxxing’ of Bored Ape Yacht Club founders
American Internet media and entertainment company Buzzfeed has revealed the identities of two of the four original Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT collection founders “Gordon Goner” and “Gargamel” as being Greg Solano and Wylie Aronow in real life.
Journalist Kate Notopoulos authored the Feb. 4 article, which was entitled “We Found The Real Names Of Bored Ape Yacht Club’s Pseudonymous Founders.”
Notopoulos was able to uncover the pair’s identities by search the publicly available records of Yuga Labs, the company behind the collection. Yuga was incorporated in Delaware with an address associated with Greg Solano, and other records pointing to Wylie Aronow.
Got doxxed against my will. Oh well.Web2 me vs. Web3 me pic.twitter.com/uLkpsJ5LvN
The tech reporter argued that “there are reasons why in the traditional business world, the CEO or founder of a company uses their real name and not a pseudonym,” adding that “the people behind BAYC are courting investors and running a business that is potentially worth billions.”
Executives of public-traded companies must be named in Securities and Exchange Commission disclosures and reports. As for smaller private companies, banking regulations and “know your customer” laws require executives to use their real names in many cases.
“These laws are in part to prevent terrorists, criminals, or sanctioned nations from doing business in the US,” wrote Notopoulos.
However, the non-consensual exposure of Aronow and Solano’s identities has raised impassioned criticism from members of the Web3 community, who are describing the article as “doxxing” rather than appropriate journalistic practice.
Got doxed so why not. Web2 me vs Web3 me. pic.twitter.com/jfmzo5NtrH
In a Feb. 5 tweet, crypto podcaster
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