Association Isn't Proof of Complicity

Journalism and public debate should treat social or business association with criminal actors as an evidence‑sensitive signal, not prima facie proof of complicity; maintain separate investigative tracks for (a) documenting wrongdoing and (b) assessing reputational proximity. Doing so reduces wrongful disgrace while preserving pressure for genuine institutional accountability. — This reframing helps balance the need to investigate elite misconduct with protections against moral‑panic driven reputational destruction, shaping media standards and institutional responses.