That's ridiculous. That means that EVERYONE who has used http://codebutler.com/firesheep can go to prison.
Sarah Palin’s email hacker is imprisoned, against judge’s recommendation
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Re: Sarah Palin’s email hacker is imprisoned, against judge’s recommendation
#22That's ridiculous. That means that EVERYONE who has used http://codebutler.com/firesheep can go to prison.
I don't see how that's ridiculous.
Firesheep is a tool whose sole purpose is to facilitate hijacking a user's session. If you use Firesheep to gain access to a user account which you don't own, you're guilty of breaking the law.
The fact that the tool makes this easy has no bearing on its legality.
So yes, everyone who has used Firesheep to gain access to another user's account without their permission is guilty of breaking the law.
Re: Sarah Palin’s email hacker is imprisoned, against judge’s recommendation
#23That's ridiculous. That means that EVERYONE who has used http://codebutler.com/firesheep can go to prison.
I don't see how that's ridiculous. Firesheep is a tool whose sole purpose is to facilitate hijacking a user's session. If you use Firesheep to gain access to a user account which you don't own, you're guilty of breaking the law. The fact that the tool makes this easy has no bearing on its legality. So yes, everyone who has used Firesheep to gain access to another user's account without their permission is guilty of b…
I'm well aware of that. But I think that's ridiculous, it's Internet, not your house. Even though people nowadays seem to think that you have privacy on the Internet, you don't. Do you go to jail if you open another phone in your house while your sister is talking to someone on the phone? You don't. Yes I think he did put some effort in guessing the question and took control of her account, and yes he should be punished. But jail?
That's ridiculous. He didn't deform anything, he just presented the information he had. You also break the law when you go too fast on the highway and you don't go to jail.
Re: Sarah Palin’s email hacker is imprisoned, against judge’s recommendation
#24from the other thread: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2099885
The flip side to "I want my e-mail treated like normal mail" is that the same penalties will need to be levied. Private citizens can get in a lot of trouble for tampering with regular mail.
Re: Sarah Palin’s email hacker is imprisoned, against judge’s recommendation
#25If this was really the tipping point for keeping that lunatic out of public office I would have done it myself.
Re: Sarah Palin’s email hacker is imprisoned, against judge’s recommendation
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
There's so such thing as being "dinged" with a felony. He will wear that albatross around his neck for the rest of his life. It's not an "injustice of a cosmic scale" so it may not rise to your threshold of caring, but he's still a young man going to prison for what is essentially a prank. Have a little compassion.
This isn't a prank. This is an attempt to influence the election of the most important position in the land using felonious means. He's lucky he's only getting what he's getting, what he did is far more serious. It is blindingly obvious that most expressions of sympathy here are because people approve of the target of the felonious actions. Had he hacked Biden's email the press would have called for his head and wrun…
I have no idea where you're inferring my support of the kids actions based on his target, but please don't that get in the way of your political tangent.
Re: Sarah Palin’s email hacker is imprisoned, against judge’s recommendation
#27Earlier quoted context omitted.
There's so such thing as being "dinged" with a felony. He will wear that albatross around his neck for the rest of his life. It's not an "injustice of a cosmic scale" so it may not rise to your threshold of caring, but he's still a young man going to prison for what is essentially a prank. Have a little compassion.
This isn't a prank. This is an attempt to influence the election of the most important position in the land using felonious means. He's lucky he's only getting what he's getting, what he did is far more serious. It is blindingly obvious that most expressions of sympathy here are because people approve of the target of the felonious actions. Had he hacked Biden's email the press would have called for his head and wrun…
Being sympathetic because you like the target is embracing the rule of men, not the rule of law.
No. I'm sympathetic because it was a very stupid prank, not because of the target.
What was the actual damage caused? It certainly didn't "paralyze" Palin's campaign.
Re: Sarah Palin’s email hacker is imprisoned, against judge’s recommendation
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't see how that's ridiculous. Firesheep is a tool whose sole purpose is to facilitate hijacking a user's session. If you use Firesheep to gain access to a user account which you don't own, you're guilty of breaking the law. The fact that the tool makes this easy has no bearing on its legality. So yes, everyone who has used Firesheep to gain access to another user's account without their permission is guilty of b…
I'm well aware of that. But I think that's ridiculous, it's Internet, not your house. Even though people nowadays seem to think that you have privacy on the Internet, you don't. Do you go to jail if you open another phone in your house while your sister is talking to someone on the phone? You don't. Yes I think he did put some effort in guessing the question and took control of her account, and yes he should be punis…
This isn't listening in on the phone to your sister's phone call. This is closer to listening to someone else's voicemail by guessing what their PIN number is (also not legal).
There are things which are yours, and there are things which are not yours. In many instances, accessing things which are not yours without the express permission of the actual owner is a crime.
And I'm not going to argue with you if you're saying that the sentencing for computer-related crimes is ridiculous. I agree, I think it's totally out of whack (like a lot of sentencing in this country).
And depending on how fast you are going on the highway you do indeed go to jail (most jurisdictions will charge you with reckless driving).
Re: Sarah Palin’s email hacker is imprisoned, against judge’s recommendation
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
The facts of the case are (almost) undisputed. What the guy did implicated him for several felonies. He had exceedingly good legal representation --- just read any of the court record to see that. His team managed to deadlock the jury on the most serious charge he faced. The one felony he got dinged with resulted from his destruction of evidence. And all this after (quick reminder) the guy broke into the still-active…
There's so such thing as being "dinged" with a felony. He will wear that albatross around his neck for the rest of his life. It's not an "injustice of a cosmic scale" so it may not rise to your threshold of caring, but he's still a young man going to prison for what is essentially a prank. Have a little compassion.
See, I disagree with 'jerf and agree with you: it was a prank.
Which makes it worse.
Tens of thousands of people, many of them parents, are currently serving time in prison because they were at random selected to be among the 1% of American drug users arbitrarily selected for prosecution, and inhabited the (large) subset of those drug users who lacked the means to defend themselves once charged.
THIS nitwit went out of his way to harm somebody else for his own amusement.
Re: Sarah Palin’s email hacker is imprisoned, against judge’s recommendation
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
The facts of the case are (almost) undisputed. What the guy did implicated him for several felonies. He had exceedingly good legal representation --- just read any of the court record to see that. His team managed to deadlock the jury on the most serious charge he faced. The one felony he got dinged with resulted from his destruction of evidence. And all this after (quick reminder) the guy broke into the still-active…
Maybe the bigger question is, is this a proportional response for his crime?
No. The prosecution screwed up and hung a case on identity theft and wire fraud instead of 18 U.S.C. § 1030 or similar statute, so he is essentially serving time solely for destroying evidence.