Kids, Computers, and the Law

[Ghoulish Delight]

Nothing like a little personal responsibility. "They ddin't stop us from breaking the rules, it's the administration's fault!"

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Nothing like a little personal responsibility. "They ddin't stop us from breaking the rules, it's the administration's fault!"

Well, taping the password on the back of the machine sounds like entrapment to me.

Besides, I'm still unclear how this violation of computer use policy become a felony? Are the laws written that broadly? Can my company charge me with a felony if I download a chat program against company policy?

And what's this about no letting them refuse the computer - there's a great civil disobediance action in that - just let the batteries die.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

Besides, I'm still unclear how this violation of computer use policy become a felony? Are the laws written that broadly? Can my company charge me with a felony if I download a chat program against company policy?

I believe the 13 that were charged were ones that attempted (and succeeded) to hack the replacement password that they changed it to one they discovered the problem of the password being public.

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

I believe the 13 that were charged were ones that attempted (and succeeded) to hack the replacement password that they changed it to one they discovered the problem of the password being public.

Hmmm, I read it that they had "unapproved imagry" feleony-teen-porn possession

None-the-less, the state didn't seem to have the stomach to prosecute them

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

Hmmm, I read it that they had "unapproved imagry" feleony-teen-porn possession

None-the-less, the state didn't seem to have the stomach to prosecute them

The story I heard was felony computer tamporing, or something like that.

[TigerLily]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Nothing like a little personal responsibility. "They ddin't stop us from breaking the rules, it's the administration's fault!"

this argument is the ONLY argument I ever hear from my child.. "it's not my fault!" "I didn't do anything wrong!" "they made me mad!" .."I shouldn't have gotten susupended! My friends broke the soda machine I just picked up the money when it fell out!" "It's grandmas fault her cell phone bill is $1000.00. If she hadn't have taken texting off of my phone I wouldn't have had to impersonate her to get it back on...and I was mad at her so I used it alot." (yeah I said NO cell phones unless they are pre-paid. I know my kid. My mother gave her one linked to her bill???)....I figure it is a teenage thing, but the day she actually admits something is her fault I may faint.

If my child did this to a school computer inside I may be happy she figured it out, but she would still be in BIG trouble because of her history of misbehaving. I can't cut my child in slack. If I give her an inch she will run for 10 miles and it's very difficult to get her back in line.

[Betty]

Originally Posted by TigerLily

If my child did this to a school computer inside I may be happy she figured it out, but she would still be in BIG trouble because of her history of misbehaving. I can't cut my child in slack. If I give her an inch she will run for 10 miles and it's very difficult to get her back in line.

I would agree with you on the getting them to take responsibility. At the same time though, don't you agree that felony charges are out of proportion with the offense committed?

I think the idea of creating a class that funnels these students into finding ways that channel that energy into something productive would be helpful. Let the students, with the help of a administrator who knows what he's doing, come up with creative ways to solve the problem. Nowadays, many companies hire hackers to teach them about their own security flaws and how to fight being hacked.

[TigerLily]

Originally Posted by Betty

I would agree with you on the getting them to take responsibility. At the same time though, don't you agree that felony charges are out of proportion with the offense committed?

they aren't going to get charged with felonies. I think their website already says that.

I have found that schools will throw around over the top punishments to scare kids and parents, but usually back down. When my child picked two quarters off the ground from when her friends broke the soda machine she got suspended for 3 days. When the school authorites were questioning the kids to find out how the machine was broken my daughter came forward first, explained it was happening daily for two weeks, told who broke the machine and who took the money daily and then IMHO she made the biggest mistake by saying "when all the money came out yesterday I did take 2 quarters off the ground." Yes she should have been honest and she was, but for her honesty she got suspended and i did tell the school the only lesson she had learned was not to be honest or come forward again. Then the school told me they turned it over to the sherriff dept. and she could be charged with a misdemenor. ...yeah, nothing came of it, but still. I really have low opinions of most school from what I've seen them do and say.

hmmm maybe this is why my child refuses to admit fault anymore...who knows....