| Jason Arday found dead 20:29 - Aug 14 with 16570 views | The_Major |
Bloody hell
🔺 BREAKING: Jason Arday, the former University of Cambridge professor, has been found dead, police have said
Mr Arday was pronounced dead after being found “unresponsive” at an address in Battersea, south London, on Friday afternoon
Read more 👇 — The Times and Sunday Times (@thetimes.com) 2026-08-14T19:17:24.128Z
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| Jason Arday found dead on 00:36 - Aug 15 with 1729 views | urbanpenguin |
| Jason Arday found dead on 00:26 - Aug 15 by Leutard |
I did see a copy of his thesis that had been passed through plagiarism software, and there was a very substantial amount of plagiarism - so long as that wasn't an entire fake thesis someone concocted. In general, his work seemed to rely on liberally using other peoples work without referencing it (This was somewhat astonishing - how few times he cited other academics, even setting aside the copious plagiarism). For instance, 6% of his final work was from one single source, constituting entire arguments lifted without being referenced.
A lot of the blame for this whole situation has to lie with his academic institutions, and in particular Liverpool John Moore universe and his supervisors there, I cannot understand how his thesis was allowed to get into the state it was without people pushing back on it, and I can't understand how he was passed by the examiners. Had people pushed back earlier on, he would have had a chance to correct course, but instead a lot of people helped him dig a hole when they had a responsibility to do otherwise. By the time it got to the press, he had been encouraged and supported to tell so many tales, to embellish his cv so much.
This feels like a deeply tragic situation overall, really sad for Arday and family [Post edited 15 Aug 0:31]
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I think blame lay in many places. Cambridge for seemingly bad professional standards and HR, perhaps the man himself for a fantastical CV and alleged plagiarism, and the media.
For me, however, only one of these seems to have led to the tragic act, and that is the media's hounding. Plagiarism is not unusual, CV and personality fabrication is also not unusual. Both are obviously bad things to do, but are at best academic disciplinary and HR issues. Neither of which, one would hope, may lead to somebody ending their life.
The way the media pushed, prodded, and provoked, using the guise of journalism when there is no evidence they had any underlying deeper interest in plagiarism or HR issues at universities I feel was despicable. From my reading of the situation it is that the media did this in a large part because it was useful for them as it plugged into other 'talking points' around diversity and representation.
Putting the right or wrongs around how Cambridge, academia, or any industry frames and pushes diversity or such narratives to pursue a soft power or capitalistic benefit to one side as that is a separate matter for discussion, I feel that the TImes, Telegraph, and Mail are responsible for the actual tragedy today. |  |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 01:22 - Aug 15 with 1654 views | Ryorry |
| Jason Arday found dead on 00:36 - Aug 15 by urbanpenguin |
I think blame lay in many places. Cambridge for seemingly bad professional standards and HR, perhaps the man himself for a fantastical CV and alleged plagiarism, and the media.
For me, however, only one of these seems to have led to the tragic act, and that is the media's hounding. Plagiarism is not unusual, CV and personality fabrication is also not unusual. Both are obviously bad things to do, but are at best academic disciplinary and HR issues. Neither of which, one would hope, may lead to somebody ending their life.
The way the media pushed, prodded, and provoked, using the guise of journalism when there is no evidence they had any underlying deeper interest in plagiarism or HR issues at universities I feel was despicable. From my reading of the situation it is that the media did this in a large part because it was useful for them as it plugged into other 'talking points' around diversity and representation.
Putting the right or wrongs around how Cambridge, academia, or any industry frames and pushes diversity or such narratives to pursue a soft power or capitalistic benefit to one side as that is a separate matter for discussion, I feel that the TImes, Telegraph, and Mail are responsible for the actual tragedy today. |
Scumbags who don't care about peoples' lives. If readers didn't lap clickbait up, media wouldn't push it, or at least not as much. I wonder if media elsewhere in the world are better regulated or have more decency?
No doubt swathes of underlying psychology as to why some people rubberneck over the downfall of others, particularly in troubled times.
Poor man - way, way too young. And his poor family.
R.I.P. |  |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 01:29 - Aug 15 with 1632 views | lowhouseblue |
it's an absolute tragedy. and a lot of people have a lot to answer. but why is this the first time the whole story has appeared on here?? |  |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 06:54 - Aug 15 with 1493 views | GlasgowBlue |
| Jason Arday found dead on 22:58 - Aug 14 by StokieBlue |
Why is the person who caused this thread to be culled still here? Since his return he's done nothing but show everything that is wrong with this country at the moment.
It's about the 10th time a thread has had to be culled or deleted because of his right wing racism, that's before we start on the threads culled because of his trolling and provoking other posters.
Just because someone posted 20 years ago doesn't mean they should get a free-ride now, it was awful as many of his posts have been but that seems to be allowed nowadays.
It's shameful.
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You raise an interesting point. The offending post, and the replies of condemnation including mine, was removed after it was reported as abuse. It was crass, insensitive and was a cheap attempt to score a political point from the tragic death Jason Arday.
Just one month ago after the death of Ann Widdecombe, a poster who has contributed to this very thread posted that her passing had “put a spring in [their] step and set [them] up nicely for the weekend”. That post was also reported as abuse and was condemned by several posters, although not by as many as the offending post in this thread. However, the report of abuse was not acted on and the post remained on the board for several pages until the entire thread was deleted after many more crass and insensitive posts.
So the question is, what should be the banning offence? Making cheap, crass political points over a tragic death. Or revelling in the death of somebody just minutes after that death has been announced? |  |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 06:55 - Aug 15 with 1492 views | balcombeblue |
| Jason Arday found dead on 01:29 - Aug 15 by lowhouseblue |
it's an absolute tragedy. and a lot of people have a lot to answer. but why is this the first time the whole story has appeared on here?? |
None of the circumstances are known and there is currently mostly shock. But if it’s as feared, I can say from first hand experience in my family that the reasons are complex and hard to grasp
Cambridge will really be under the microscope regarding duty of care etc.
Prior to yesterday It probably wasn’t the sort of story that could be discussed on an internet forum with enough nuance and sensitivity. |  | | |
| Jason Arday found dead on 07:00 - Aug 15 with 1466 views | rkc123 |
| Jason Arday found dead on 01:29 - Aug 15 by lowhouseblue |
it's an absolute tragedy. and a lot of people have a lot to answer. but why is this the first time the whole story has appeared on here?? |
Because the only real story up to the very sad news of his death was how it was being reported. "Academic possibly commits plagiarism" should not be a national news story with hundreds of articles written about it, and I think a lot of people saw that and didn't want to join in the discourse. |  | | |
| Jason Arday found dead on 07:05 - Aug 15 with 1435 views | balcombeblue |
| Jason Arday found dead on 07:00 - Aug 15 by rkc123 |
Because the only real story up to the very sad news of his death was how it was being reported. "Academic possibly commits plagiarism" should not be a national news story with hundreds of articles written about it, and I think a lot of people saw that and didn't want to join in the discourse. |
I think the story was a bit wider than that. There is absolutely nothing wrong with challenging and those points but probably best done in a new thread | | | |
| Jason Arday found dead on 07:08 - Aug 15 with 1408 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Jason Arday found dead on 20:56 - Aug 14 by urbanpenguin |
So tragic. The evidence strongly looks like he was a bit of a fantasist, though the only real issues academically are about plagiarism and from what I read that had been investigated and cleared.
Nonetheless, there are all kinds of horrific stories of corruption and abuse across the academic landscape - a world I work in - and he was but one story. But the column inches and relentless reporting his story got was crazy, and I have no doubt it would not have happened had he been white and the whole shebang wasn't also a useful way for certain right wing outlets to bang on about diversity and equality.
I also suspect that some of those outlets will now report on this tragedy as if it proves them right or legitimises their approach, because to do otherwise would make them have some self awareness or guilt.
Away from all the story about his CV and fantasies, and away from the discussion about media overstepping, a man has (I presume) taken his own life. A son, lover, friend, relative, colleague has died, and that's awful and very, very sad. [Post edited 14 Aug 21:19]
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I don’t understand why it was headline news day after day. Is that all it was: a case by which diversity issues could be attacked? It seemed like a relatively straightforward issue around academic conduct, of which there are many examples of varying types all the time in universities. They’re dealt with internally and hardly ever make the news.
Given some of the Americanised language around EDI that popped up here last night, it was obviously a tribal issue that had reached far and wide.
I’m assuming Cambridge will now be in a spot of bother over how they handled his dismissal; their senior leadership team will certainly be kicking into action.
As you say, very sad. And unnecessary really from what I could see. |  |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 07:13 - Aug 15 with 1383 views | GlasgowBlue |
| Jason Arday found dead on 07:05 - Aug 15 by balcombeblue |
I think the story was a bit wider than that. There is absolutely nothing wrong with challenging and those points but probably best done in a new thread |
This isn’t the time and place to go into details, but having read some extracts from his proposed book, added to the other accusations of being a fantasist as alluded to earlier in this thread, paints a picture of a deeply troubled man who needed help rather than hounding. Whether that help was from his employers, colleagues, friends or family. He was very publicly dropped and disowned by many of those who had previously shown support. [Post edited 15 Aug 7:14]
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| Jason Arday found dead on 07:23 - Aug 15 with 1335 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Jason Arday found dead on 07:13 - Aug 15 by GlasgowBlue |
This isn’t the time and place to go into details, but having read some extracts from his proposed book, added to the other accusations of being a fantasist as alluded to earlier in this thread, paints a picture of a deeply troubled man who needed help rather than hounding. Whether that help was from his employers, colleagues, friends or family. He was very publicly dropped and disowned by many of those who had previously shown support. [Post edited 15 Aug 7:14]
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Indeed | |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 07:54 - Aug 15 with 1269 views | jayessess |
Seems the UK media learned precisely zero lessons from all the previous times they hounded people to their death.
Not proceeding with Leveson 2 has done untold damage to this country. |  |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 08:03 - Aug 15 with 1239 views | balcombeblue |
| Jason Arday found dead on 07:54 - Aug 15 by jayessess |
Seems the UK media learned precisely zero lessons from all the previous times they hounded people to their death.
Not proceeding with Leveson 2 has done untold damage to this country. |
Leveson was about illegal practices of phone hacking and intense harassment. We don't know that this has happened in this case. | | | |
| Jason Arday found dead on 08:07 - Aug 15 with 1222 views | jayessess |
| Jason Arday found dead on 08:03 - Aug 15 by balcombeblue |
Leveson was about illegal practices of phone hacking and intense harassment. We don't know that this has happened in this case. |
If you were ever subjected to it, I suspect you might experience the press coverage Jason Arday faced as "intense harassment". | |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 08:09 - Aug 15 with 1213 views | balcombeblue |
| Jason Arday found dead on 08:07 - Aug 15 by jayessess |
If you were ever subjected to it, I suspect you might experience the press coverage Jason Arday faced as "intense harassment". |
I simply said that we don't know. | | | |
| Jason Arday found dead on 08:32 - Aug 15 with 1161 views | jayessess |
| Jason Arday found dead on 08:09 - Aug 15 by balcombeblue |
I simply said that we don't know. |
I mean, we know that the Daily Telegraph published this many stories about the man.
This is the coverage of Arday **just in the Telegraph** in the UK. This is only the first four pages of results, just in one outlet. — Ketan Joshi (@ketanjoshi.co) 2026-08-14T20:33:32.914Z
Not about a famous man, a celebrity, a national politician or something like that, but about a university sociology professor, who I'd certainly never heard of (despite being in the same line of work).
If someone published a daily blog about you for days and days on end, sought out colleagues and associates of yours for information about you, I think you'd be pretty clear what that constituted. Even if you'd actually done something wrong, you'd think it was pretty disproportionate and troublingly obsessive.
Now imagine that but it's a national newspaper and they're also a bat signal for millions of other people to do the same thing to you. [Post edited 15 Aug 8:33]
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| Jason Arday found dead on 10:11 - Aug 15 with 1011 views | lowhouseblue |
| Jason Arday found dead on 07:00 - Aug 15 by rkc123 |
Because the only real story up to the very sad news of his death was how it was being reported. "Academic possibly commits plagiarism" should not be a national news story with hundreds of articles written about it, and I think a lot of people saw that and didn't want to join in the discourse. |
i think that's nonsense. it's been a story about major failures in key institutions and attempts to cover up those failures. universities failing to uphold academic standards and failing to promote academic excellence. we can debate the exact reasons why that occurred - but it is undoubtedly a public scandal. universities are public bodies, applying public funds and awarding status and position in public life. when they fail in that it matters. when they are made to look ridiculous and trust in them is harmed it matters. in the current age of disinformation we don't want trusted universities to look like fools. in cambridge this comes on top of other major institutional failures and i'd be surprised if some senior people survive it all.
the reason it wasn't raised on here until yesterday's tragedy is that the above just doesn't fit the agenda of many posters. | |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 10:14 - Aug 15 with 1000 views | urbanpenguin |
| Jason Arday found dead on 01:29 - Aug 15 by lowhouseblue |
it's an absolute tragedy. and a lot of people have a lot to answer. but why is this the first time the whole story has appeared on here?? |
A man is dead. It's the first time he died.
Have some bloody empathy for once in your life, you don't need to be a provocative tool in *every* thread. You could have a morning off. | |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 10:21 - Aug 15 with 943 views | lowhouseblue |
| Jason Arday found dead on 10:14 - Aug 15 by urbanpenguin |
A man is dead. It's the first time he died.
Have some bloody empathy for once in your life, you don't need to be a provocative tool in *every* thread. You could have a morning off. |
the scandal and attempted cover up has been going on for weeks. his death is an absolute tragedy and i have a great deal of empathy for him. i think he is largely a victim throughout these events.
but addressing the major public scandal that culminated in his death is not disrespectful. understanding why he ended up in this position is not disrespectful. you have clearly wanted to ignore all up to this point because it raises stuff which is inconvenient. | |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 10:21 - Aug 15 with 947 views | BlueBadger |
| Jason Arday found dead on 10:11 - Aug 15 by lowhouseblue |
i think that's nonsense. it's been a story about major failures in key institutions and attempts to cover up those failures. universities failing to uphold academic standards and failing to promote academic excellence. we can debate the exact reasons why that occurred - but it is undoubtedly a public scandal. universities are public bodies, applying public funds and awarding status and position in public life. when they fail in that it matters. when they are made to look ridiculous and trust in them is harmed it matters. in the current age of disinformation we don't want trusted universities to look like fools. in cambridge this comes on top of other major institutional failures and i'd be surprised if some senior people survive it all.
the reason it wasn't raised on here until yesterday's tragedy is that the above just doesn't fit the agenda of many posters. |
Give over, you great fanny. |  |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 10:21 - Aug 15 with 946 views | Whos_blue |
| Jason Arday found dead on 10:11 - Aug 15 by lowhouseblue |
i think that's nonsense. it's been a story about major failures in key institutions and attempts to cover up those failures. universities failing to uphold academic standards and failing to promote academic excellence. we can debate the exact reasons why that occurred - but it is undoubtedly a public scandal. universities are public bodies, applying public funds and awarding status and position in public life. when they fail in that it matters. when they are made to look ridiculous and trust in them is harmed it matters. in the current age of disinformation we don't want trusted universities to look like fools. in cambridge this comes on top of other major institutional failures and i'd be surprised if some senior people survive it all.
the reason it wasn't raised on here until yesterday's tragedy is that the above just doesn't fit the agenda of many posters. |
What was the need for your last sentence?
Point scoring? Provocateur?
Bad taste in any case. |  |
| "Look, I don't wanna be the same as everybody else. That's why I'm a Mod, see?" |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 10:24 - Aug 15 with 912 views | lowhouseblue |
| Jason Arday found dead on 10:21 - Aug 15 by BlueBadger |
Give over, you great fanny. |
so you don't think any of that matters? have you actually followed any of this? | |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 10:26 - Aug 15 with 907 views | BlueBadger |
| Jason Arday found dead on 10:24 - Aug 15 by lowhouseblue |
so you don't think any of that matters? have you actually followed any of this? |
About as much need for it as your last sentences, you great fanny. | |
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| Jason Arday found dead on 10:27 - Aug 15 with 904 views | Axeldalai_lama |
| Jason Arday found dead on 10:11 - Aug 15 by lowhouseblue |
i think that's nonsense. it's been a story about major failures in key institutions and attempts to cover up those failures. universities failing to uphold academic standards and failing to promote academic excellence. we can debate the exact reasons why that occurred - but it is undoubtedly a public scandal. universities are public bodies, applying public funds and awarding status and position in public life. when they fail in that it matters. when they are made to look ridiculous and trust in them is harmed it matters. in the current age of disinformation we don't want trusted universities to look like fools. in cambridge this comes on top of other major institutional failures and i'd be surprised if some senior people survive it all.
the reason it wasn't raised on here until yesterday's tragedy is that the above just doesn't fit the agenda of many posters. |
That's pompous and silly. How can you judge an entire message board and come up with absolute reasoning based on them not discussing something?
They probably haven't discussed hundreds of things on here, is that a cutting judgement on the geopolitical standings of the board or just how life works?
You say everyone else is using things to fit agendas and yet you are using a lack of covering one specific news story to fit an absolutely elephantine agenda.
I'm not judging the specifics of anything about this tragic news story, but your reasoning doesn't add up, especially to the extent you are pushing it. |  | | |
| Jason Arday found dead on 10:30 - Aug 15 with 878 views | Dubtractor |
| Jason Arday found dead on 10:27 - Aug 15 by Axeldalai_lama |
That's pompous and silly. How can you judge an entire message board and come up with absolute reasoning based on them not discussing something?
They probably haven't discussed hundreds of things on here, is that a cutting judgement on the geopolitical standings of the board or just how life works?
You say everyone else is using things to fit agendas and yet you are using a lack of covering one specific news story to fit an absolutely elephantine agenda.
I'm not judging the specifics of anything about this tragic news story, but your reasoning doesn't add up, especially to the extent you are pushing it. |
This.
Lowhouse loves a bit of culture war discourse, and loves the opportunity to have a jab at 'certain posters' on here. So here we are. [Post edited 15 Aug 10:33]
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| Jason Arday found dead on 10:30 - Aug 15 with 868 views | lowhouseblue |
| Jason Arday found dead on 10:27 - Aug 15 by Axeldalai_lama |
That's pompous and silly. How can you judge an entire message board and come up with absolute reasoning based on them not discussing something?
They probably haven't discussed hundreds of things on here, is that a cutting judgement on the geopolitical standings of the board or just how life works?
You say everyone else is using things to fit agendas and yet you are using a lack of covering one specific news story to fit an absolutely elephantine agenda.
I'm not judging the specifics of anything about this tragic news story, but your reasoning doesn't add up, especially to the extent you are pushing it. |
it's been the main national news story for a fortnight. we have posters who re-post every trivial social media panic when it comes to trump, or farage, or israel etc, etc. but on this national headline there's not a single post. even when the guardian says there's a rael problem, that's not re-posted. don't you wonder why. | |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
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