This feels like a case of being easier to apologize than to ask permission.

Also it doesn’t require any amount of thinking to know that taking private data you were given in confidence and making in public is immoral.

It should also be illegal.

Or a PR stunt. This sort of backpedaling has become very common to promote brand awareness

Or even crazier thought, he figured it was a good idea and then rethought it out when the HN backlash happened.