Putting aside for a moment the mechanism of this particular error (seemingly a slip-of-the-tongue), how has "pedophile" become the "witch" of our age?
Not even "child-molester," mind you, but "pedophile."
My concern is that this phenomenon can quite easily be activated by fake network traffic - it seems quite plausible to me that a person can be targeted for demonization (or worse) simply by fabricating the appearance of child pornography being transmitted, and now not only is the accusation very difficult to disprove (and yes, the illusory nature of the presumption of innocence is another related topic), but also casts the accused into the worst possible social characterization.
Reminds me Daycare sex abuse and satanic ritual hysteria.[0]
First, it's hysteria and then it becomes some kind of a "regular insult". This horrible name is being used so often that it has lost its meaning, which in return if catastrophic for the real victims.
Not even "child-molester," mind you, but "pedophile."
My concern is that this phenomenon can quite easily be activated by fake network traffic - it seems quite plausible to me that a person can be targeted for demonization (or worse) simply by fabricating the appearance of child pornography being transmitted, and now not only is the accusation very difficult to disprove (and yes, the illusory nature of the presumption of innocence is another related topic), but also casts the accused into the worst possible social characterization.