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The Saga of George "GeoHot" Hotz Has Reached its Only Natural Conclusion

The former bane of Sony's existence is shacking up with Facebook now.

Over the last few months, we've had a bit of fun at the expense of George "GeoHot" Hotz, the floppy-haired, hip-hopping hackster who kicked off The Great PlayStation Network Kerfuffle of 2011 by cracking the PlayStation 3's firmware, releasing the tools for other people to do the same, getting sued by Sony over said tools, and thus inspiring a roving gang of Internet hooligans to start taunting and screwing with the console-maker.

Don't lie: You totally missed us writing news stories about this dude.
Don't lie: You totally missed us writing news stories about this dude.

Of course, the shit got a little more real when actual hackers stole actual vital information pertaining to actual PlayStation 3 users. At that point, the whole thing became a lot less funny. Well, Hotz's statements regarding that hack were pretty funny, actually. But the rest was totally serious business.

Anyway, after settling his lawsuit with Sony and making the aforementioned comments, Hotz went into radio silence mode. Evidently, that's because he went and got himself a real damn job.

Confirming a few rumors floating around late last week, Facebook representatives announced today that Hotz has gone to work for the company. His exact role at the company wasn't revealed, but it's presumed that he may be working in the company's mobile division, specifically on Facebook's upcoming iPad app. That would make some sense, given Hotz's previous proclivities toward jailbreaking iPhones.

It's actually a perfect fit, given Facebook head honcho Mark Zuckerberg's own history as an authority-mocking coder back in his college days. One could easily see the two of them becoming fast friends, going on coding dates together and curling each other's hair.

Still, that is a bit of an anticlimactic end to the antics of the gaming industry's own Dennis the Menace. Some of you out there almost assuredly were hoping for more of a Thelma & Louise type ending with Hotz's fellow lawsuit victim Alexander "Graf_Chokolo" Egorenkov (who is still being sued, by the way, and also probably will go to jail), but let's be realistic about this. A nice, quiet desk job at a major social media company is probably more reasonable.

Hey, maybe he can hook his buddy Alexander up with a job, too! You know, so he can pay his legal fees. And, like, not go to jail.

Alex Navarro on Google+

172 Comments

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MeierTheRed

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Edited By MeierTheRed

I wish sites would just stop writing about him. Aso each time i see a picture of that greasy little hobbit, i just wan't to stomp on him.

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CL60

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Edited By CL60
@Thusian said:

@CL60: Correct, he just enabled/encouraged the breaches and attacks.

No he didn't. He jailbroke the PS3, that's it. Which is not illegal, which is why Sony didn't win the lawsuit. He doesn't condone piracy, nor hacking of personal information. HE JAILBREAKS. Microsoft even gave him a free Windows Phone to jailbreak. He doesn't steal information, he doesn't pirate shit, he unlocks locked systems, and the only reason he hacked the PS3 was to bring back what sony randomly decided to remove for no reason. 
 
And the misinformation on Geohotz, and people wanting to kill him is just pathetic considering he's done absolutely nothing wrong.
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deactivated-5abeb9715d7a2

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You're right.  Come to think of it, this will ruin the made for TV movie ending.  There goes their dramatic death sequence.

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Slaker117

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Edited By Slaker117

Man, the human mind sucks at differentiating.
Hacker? Sony!
GeoHot hacked PSN to steal your personal information, pissed on your rug and raped your dog!!
 
The dude jailbreaks. That's it.

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deactivated-5abeb9715d7a2

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@CL60 said:
People wanting to kill him is just pathetic considering he's done absolutely nothing wrong.
Only opened the door to on-line cheaters, but yes, anyone actually wanting him dead IRL should probably calm down.
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Blackmamba85

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Edited By Blackmamba85
@vinsanityv22 said:
I effin' hate this GeoHotz a**hole. 
 
But...
 
I DO love it when Alex Navarro writes snarky, sarcastic articles about a**holes like this dipsh*t. I mean, it's almost worth putting up with his miserable existence just to read a line like, "One could easily see the two of them becoming fast friends, going on coding dates together and curling each other's hair.".   Almost. Not quite though. I'd still rather see every PSN user out there punch the sh** out of this piece of crap.
And I wan't to punch everyone saying things like this for being so goddamn ignorant 
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KillyDarko

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Edited By KillyDarko
People wanting to "shoot Geohot on sight" and wanting him dead should read what CL60 wrote. The guy did nothing wrong! For once people, please, investigate before jumping to conclusions.
 
@CL60 said:
He jailbroke the PS3, that's it. Which is not illegal, which is why Sony didn't win the lawsuit. He doesn't condone piracy, nor hacking of personal information. HE JAILBREAKS. Microsoft even gave him a free Windows Phone to jailbreak. He doesn't steal information, he doesn't pirate shit, he unlocks locked systems, and the only reason he hacked the PS3 was to bring back what sony randomly decided to remove for no reason.  And the misinformation on Geohotz, and people wanting to kill him is just pathetic considering he's done absolutely nothing wrong.
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Saga

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Edited By Saga

@Thusian: That's incorrect. The one that encouraged hack attacks was Sony by implementing a mediocre network security system. Lets remember that they had to go outside Sony to find out what was going on.

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deactivated-5eca34e37141a

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"One could easily see the two of them becoming fast friends, going on coding dates together and curling each other's hair" 
 
The mockery of geeks, homosexuals and curly hair is what makes this site great..........sigh

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patrick

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Edited By patrick

@Thusian said:

They're both great at disclosing your Personal Information, a match made in heaven.

Did you just skim the headlines over the weeks that PSN was down and jumble all the Sony stuff together? The events aren't analogous at all.

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deactivated-5eca34e37141a

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The only reason that people hate this guy so much is because he interferred momentarily with their Sony ball licking.

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MattyFTM

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Edited By MattyFTM  Moderator

Someone was always going to hire him. He's clearly a talented dude. I'm a little surprised that Sony didn't just hire him in the first place rather than trying to sue him & causing this whole shitstorm. It would have saved a whole lot of bother and given them a talented employee. That's what often happens in these cases.

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deinos

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Edited By deinos
@FoolishChaos said:

What the fuck did he steal?

Do people actually read these things, fuck

He stole my heart.... :-)
 
But yeah, I agree that he seems like a douche, but he, as far as we all know, had nothing to do with any forms of theft (IP, personal info, etc).  Whether it was done in his name, also speculative, because I am assuming these hackers just wanted a target, and the Hotz was as likely an excuse as any.
 
As far as hacking for exposure and jobs, I won't be surprised to see this trend blowing up, but backfiring as ppl start doing illegal crap to get noticed, and only end up with FBI at the door and not a job offer.
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AURON570

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Edited By AURON570

i don't remember, have they caught the ACTUAL PSN hackers? are they trying?

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dvorak

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Edited By dvorak

@AURON570 said:

i don't remember, have they caught the ACTUAL PSN hackers? are they trying?

No, and unlikely.

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BabyChooChoo

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Edited By BabyChooChoo

Good for him I guess. I still think he's an asshole and all so fuck him really...but still, good for him. Now I just hope we never have to hear about him again.

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Milkman

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Edited By Milkman

This kid is a tool anyway. Glad I don't have to hear about him anymore.

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MrAristocrates

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Edited By MrAristocrates

I don't hate Geohot for anything except being a smug dick.
 
Also, I thought this shit was over, dammit! More assholes in the comments sections spouting fanboy bullshit towards each other. Can't wait to get yelled at for having a blue username...

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napalm

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Edited By napalm

I read the title, and was hoping the story would conclude as, "and then he shot himself in the fucking face."

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PXAbstraction

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Edited By PXAbstraction

Scumbags flock together it seems. He'll fit right in with Zuckerberg.

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PXAbstraction

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Edited By PXAbstraction
@CL60: Oh please. He enabled mass piracy and cheating on the PS3 in order to restore functionality that while it shouldn't have been removed, no one used. Then when mass piracy and cheating happens as a direct result of his work, he buries his head in the sand and goes "Well I don't want people using it for that so clearly it's not my fault at all!" You are correct, he didn't break any laws, nor did he steal anyone's personal information. Neither has Facebook technically. That doesn't mean they aren't scumbags. GeoHot's not a hero, he's a self-absorbed ass who caused massive problems for paying PS3 customers.
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Scrawnto

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Edited By Scrawnto

@PXAbstraction: Is there really mass piracy on the PS3? I wouldn't expect the vast majority of consumers to bother with unlocking their PS3s.

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OldManLight

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Edited By OldManLight

Its like the end to the shield. Wait, no it isn't.

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Duder_Me

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Edited By Duder_Me

The comment about curling each other's hair was priceless.

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blacklab

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Edited By blacklab

Anyone seen this guy and Klepek in the same room?

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twillfast

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Edited By twillfast

George looks like something the cat dragged in..

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Edited By bybeach

This editor isn't allowing me to do quotes, but in response to Matty FTM, I'm a little surprised you would think Sony would part their legs hire him. Why, the fucker caused them heavy grief, and there are enough talented ppl. out there that they don't need to deal with him. PPl. may have their set conceptions of Sony, I saw Ryan launch a fuck you (Sony) in status up-dates. But that doesn't mean they are so shiftless and even morally ambivalent as to hire Hotz, not at least when they were the ones so grievously wounded. And Alex, for some reason I'm really taking to your articles lately. way more so than before you went to New York, Though that is just appearance for all I know, I simply like your writing more-so than before.

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batmeng

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Edited By batmeng

Another good reason to avoid fucking facebook.

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korolev

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Edited By korolev

I never had a problem with George Hotz. I hope he finds success in his new job.

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swoxx

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Edited By swoxx

If you cant beat em' hire em'

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Tuggah

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Edited By Tuggah
@Batmeng: I fucked facebook once, no regrets.
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demarcon

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Edited By demarcon

Some people on this site really need to read fucking articles before they post comments calling this guy an asshole and saying he hacked the playstation network and stole personal information. I'm amazed with the amount of stupidity from some of these comments.

@Batmeng it's a good thing you'll "avoid fucking facebook" don't know if doing that is good for your health.

@PXAbstraction what problems did he cause for paying playstation customers? Where did he enable mass piracy? He's actually still sitting on keys for the NPDRM that would enable piracy of psn games and he will not release them because he doesn't condone piracy. He didn't only do it to restore otherOS but to give people the chance at homebrew with strict coding to make it so people couldn't pirate. Then another group took the keys that were already out there and made a different firmware that enabled piracy.

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AriesDog

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Edited By AriesDog

I feel very comfortable with Facebook hiring a famous, amoral hacker who now has access to 500 million people's personal information. Can you detect sarcasm because sarcasm doesn't come across clearly on the internet?
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Sharpshooter

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Edited By Sharpshooter

OK I had a knee jerk reaction when I read the title of this arguement. The first thing that flashed through my mind was "Oh my god Sony assassinated GeoHot!!!"

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Siphillis

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Edited By Siphillis

And then they all fucked.  The End.

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Vrikk

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Edited By Vrikk

As someone who does a "nice, quiet desk job" for 40 long hours a week I object to someone doing that instead of the cool things like hacking and romping around the virtual security world!

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MrAristocrates

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Edited By MrAristocrates
@Batmeng: Well, that and cyber-herpes.
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Olivaw

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Edited By Olivaw

George Hotz has a very punchable face.
 
The picture in this article is especially affecting. My fist actually clenched instinctively!

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HURRyDURRy

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Edited By HURRyDURRy

Corporate espionage covers are neat. 
 
LIke, 
 
PR forum posting.

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beforet

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Edited By beforet

Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Kinda like those hackers who are eventually hired by the government.

He has a really punchable face in that picture.

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CL60

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Edited By CL60
@AURON570 said:

i don't remember, have they caught the ACTUAL PSN hackers? are they trying?

No they haven't caught them, and the hackers are probably very happy right now, because judging from this topic it seems like the majority of people are stupid and think it was Geohotz that did it. When he had nothing at all to do with it.
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Agent47

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Edited By Agent47
@Siphillis: What?Jajaja that was so random.
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CL60

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Edited By CL60

Also, to those of you saying it's his fault because he "opened the network up" explain to me how that even makes sense. How did he open up PSN to be hacked when he didn't do anything to the network. The people that broke in didn't break in by using the rootkey that Geohot released and using their PS3. They broke in on their PC by getting passed sonys terrible security. The root key was for the SYSTEM it gives no access to PSN in any way. 
 
So please, explain to me how exactly he opened up sonys network for hacking when all he did was allow homebrew to be run on the console.

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Crocio

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Edited By Crocio
@CL60:  
  
Hah, calm down man. Do you think you'll really make a difference when most people don't want to change or acknowledge reality out of their preconceived world? Just relax and learn to take advantage of them like us businessmen. There are only so many people willing to learn.
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MrAristocrates

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Edited By MrAristocrates
@CL60: That's not what people are saying. They find it likely that the Geohot fiasco was the incitement for the hack. 
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littlemanbodie

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Edited By littlemanbodie

Guy looks like a douche bag

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wrathofconn

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Edited By wrathofconn

"One could easily see the two of them becoming fast friends, going on coding dates together and curling each other's hair."

I'm definitely glad Alex wrote this article. Of course Zark Fuckerberg loves this dude.

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CL60

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Edited By CL60
@MrAristocrates said:

@CL60: That's not what people are saying. They find it likely that the Geohot fiasco was the incitement for the hack. 

So because hackers were mad at Sony for suing Geohots(Not his fault) they hacked Sony(also not his fault), so that justifies wanting Geohots killed and tortured? That makes absolutely no sense, because still, nothing that happened was his fault at all.
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MrAristocrates

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Edited By MrAristocrates
@CL60:Even if you don't think what he did was wrong, his own actions led to the lawsuit, so yes, it was his fault he got sued. I don't know why people are calling for execution, but the point stands that he modified software that he didn't own (and before you say anything, when you buy a console, you own the hardware, not the software, which is licensed to you, and is thus not rightfully yours to modify). What's more, he did this with the intention to distribute it, and, let's face it, the main reason people download console cracks is to pirate games. It doesn't matter whether or not Geohot was wrong, just that his own actions led to the lawsuit.
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CL60

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Edited By CL60
@MrAristocrates said:
@CL60:Even if you don't think what he did was wrong, his own actions led to the lawsuit, so yes, it was his fault he got sued. I don't know why people are calling for execution, but the point stands that he modified software that he didn't own (and before you say anything, when you buy a console, you own the hardware, not the software, which is licensed to you, and is thus not rightfully yours to modify). What's more, he did this with the intention to distribute it, and, let's face it, the main reason people download console cracks is to pirate games. It doesn't matter whether or not Geohot was wrong, just that his own actions led to the lawsuit.
But the lawsuit shouldn't have happened in the first place. How did he know it was going to happen? It's not illegal to do what he did. Which is why Sony settled outside of court, they knew they wouldn't win. He's done it with multiple other products, because it's legal.