[extropy-chat] the RBL racket

[BillK]

On 9/11/06, Russell Wallace wrote:
>  You'd put a man in _prison_ for typing words on a computer keyboard?
>  That puts you over the line, I'm afraid.
>
>  Sorry, but there are limits. This transgresses them.


Too late. Governments and the law crossed that line ages ago.

You can be put in prison for a lot *less* than typing words on a keyboard.

Look up 'thought crimes'.  Just thinking about doing something bad can
send you to prison. (If you tell someone you thought it, of course).
But thinking about many crimes ('planning' is the technical term) can
send you to prison.

In the UK, disruptive people get ASBO orders which ban them from
certain areas because they 'might' commit crimes there.

The second point is that almost all computer crime is 'just typing
words on a keyboard'. Identity theft, hacking into bank accounts,
libel, slander, race hate propaganda, etc.

Looking at certain pictures on your computer gets you a prison
sentence. Technically you are 'in possession' if they hit your screen.

As around 90% of computers are malware infected, they are very likely
to be involved in some criminal activity.
Owning a computer is getting to be a dangerous business.

BillK