Mystery Ex-Net Blogger Causes Media Firestorm

May 18th, 2028:
Mystery Ex-Net Blogger Causes Media Firestorm -
By: Terri Kopp
When people think of the Ex-Net, they think of an archaic system frequented only by the most hardcore of tech geeks, and those seeking to hide behind utter anonymity. Normally this would be true, but in the last few weeks there has been a massive upswing of users into the system. The reason?
12212042, or as he refers to himself, 1221. 'He' may be a misnomer, as the entity posting has yet to reveal anything about their identity, let alone their sex. 
It all started on April 6th of this year when the user made a post that went relatively unnoticed by the denizens of the Ex-Net. The original post, which now has over 8 million impressions, talks about how humanity is being "manipulated." The user claims to have secret files from Worldview Industries, detailing how the corporation had changed all of human history. The post was quickly lost in obscurity, even amongst the tiny user base of Ex-Net. The Ex-Net, frequently a haven for frauds, conspiracy theorists and other extremists, let this post fall dead from the digital presses, as it were.
Then, a month later, a second post appeared; one that was much more fragmented and written in a tone of hysterical accusation. This post claimed that the writer had in fact been an employee of Worldview at their facility in Xalapa, Mexico. The core idea that the blogger perpetuates, claiming to have stolen secret documents from the Worldview facility, is that human civilization has been manufactured and changed since the very origins of civilization. He blames Worldview, but also hints at shadowy forces that have been manipulating humanity for thousands of years. He also deliberately points to K-1, Worldview's much lauded new A.I., as something that would eventually enslave humanity.
It was with this second post, coinciding with the International Conference on the Development of Artificial Intelligence in Berlin, which began to attract some attention. 
It was mentioned by Dr. Sean Petherick, one of the leading scientists in the world on A.I. development, in his speech on the Public's Awareness of Crafted Intelligence:
"While many have dismissed the Ex-Net as an archaic throwback to the days of text only online correspondence, those same naysayers forget that the Ex-Net is a largely un-policed system. This allows for extreme freedom of thought and opinions, unseen in many other areas of cyberspace. Recently an anonymous blogger has started discussing his opinions on Worldview and the Guardian Church, opinions that would be quickly censored or dismissed by the open media."
After that came a firestorm of allegations and investigations into whom this individual is. Worldview has been notably silent on the issue, insisting that K-1 is practically an open-source project and that they have nothing to hide.
A third post emerged a few days ago, and this time 1221 claims he was approached by a woman named Melinda Bellhurst, shortly after being chased out of his previous accommodations by what could have been Worldview security personal. He further claims that the Guardian Church and Worldview Industries are the same entity, a notion that quite frankly does not make any sense.
The general tone of response to these posts tends to sway from end to end of the spectrum. While many of the major news outlets have picked up stories on the blogger, others find it to be little more than sensationalist ramblings, based on information that is intangible at best. Regardless of their stance on the issue, all agree that it is, at least, good news. The public has produced a similar reaction, but small groups, predominantly on fringe areas of the Internet, have taken up a rallying cry against Worldview, and now too the Guardian Church. 
In a brief statement issued yesterday, Melinda Bellhurst said this on the subject:
"The Church has existed since 1996 and we only seek to prepare humanity for the Guardians' return. I do not know where this person found my name, but I have never contacted them, nor will I ever do so. He or she is obviously just telling a story in an attempt to go viral and maybe make a profit."
Fraud or not, the blogger has indeed gone viral. While many outright dismiss and ridicule the posts, at the very least, traffic on the Ex-Net has gone up several thousand percent in the last week.
Fraud or not, 1221 has the world's attention. 
For now.
Category:Terri Kopp
Category:Sean Petherick
Category:12212042
Category:Melinda Bellhurst