Kids, Computers, and the Law

[Name]

unless you are not friends with the computer guy, then it is a quick lesson in criminal law, firsthand, by way of a felony charge.

[DisneyFan25863]

Originally Posted by Name

unless you are not friends with the computer guy, then it is a quick lesson in criminal law, firsthand, by way of a felony charge.

OK, and what about the kid that just enters the password taped to the back of the machine, not knowing what account it is for, thinking its the temp login password for his account or something?




Of course, this is akin to leaving the keys ontop of you're car..if someone comes along and uses it, it is still a crime, even though the keys were left out...

[€uroMeinke]

The kid that uses the password will get farther in life than the one who doesn't - of course, I am an anarchist.

[Name]

I only said that, because the reports I read, they are being charged with felonies.

[Monorail Man]

This poses a question:

What about Spyware?

I worked on my school's computer systems for years, and the big problem we had my junior/senior year, was kids that were accidently installing spyware (clicking Yes to those nasty Java dialog boxes in FireFox). So, in theory, if a student installs spyware by a company, couldn't the school/law pin it on the unknowing student?

[Name]

The kids site

http://www.cutusabreak.org/

[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.

[Name]

if you were in pennsalvania(sp), yeah, I suppose it could be a felony.

[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.