[extropy-chat] the RBL racket

[Eugen Leitl]

On Mon, Sep 11, 2006 at 10:00:00AM +0100, BillK wrote:

> 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.

Whenever I see "identity theft" I read "pathetic security design".
It's reasonably difficult to clone a smartcard and obtain the PIN 
(which can be biometric), especially without a cooperating victim.
Copying or guessing a short integer in order to impersonate somebody
is not much of a crime. But building systems which rely on this
as a sole method of authentication should be a jailable offense.

I also disagree about race hate propaganda. I think it shouldn't
be persecuted. Once you start with this, you'll have to build
a global community based on the lowest common denominator. Obligate
geocoding and filtering is already pretty widespread, which is a truly awful
development.
 
> Looking at certain pictures on your computer gets you a prison
> sentence. Technically you are 'in possession' if they hit your screen.

I think that's going way overboard. Actually, the last-Thursday
german Tor bust was based on charges of pedophilia media trafficking.
I don't agree that possession of pedophilia media should be a crime
(but the making of such should very well be a serious crime, unless
casted with synthespians). Here I also happen to disagree with public
consensus and the legislation.
 
> 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.

It's interesting that no one so far has made Microsoft liable.
If you buy an unsafe vehicle, you can sue the maker for damages.
That this can't be done for mainstream software producers is a 
serious oversight that needs to be corrected.

-- 
Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a> http://leitl.org
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