The Internet Law You’ve Already Broken

[questionmark]

A couple of weeks ago, a Sacramento jury convicted journalist Matthew Keys of helping Anonymous hack the website of the LA Times. Prosecutors have said they will seek jail time - likely less than five years. But the reason you could care about Matthew Keys is because the law he was charged under - The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act - makes all kinds of computer usage illegal. Including the kinds of things you do every day.

Matthew Keys is a reporter who is probably best known for his Twitter presence — during breaking news stories, he frequently hops in and becomes a valuable source of on-the-ground information, by amplifying news outlets and individuals who are actually reporting from the scene.

Back in 2010, he worked as a web producer for FOX 40. FOX 40 is a television station in Sacramento, which owned by The Tribune Company. The Tribune Company is, of course, a huge media company that owns several of other TV stations and newspapers. Keys was fired from that job in October of that year. He says he quit. He was not happy with his dismissal or departure, and not long after he left, the television station started receiving emails from X-Files characters. The emails had this air of menace to them that was just unsettling enough that the staff of FOX 40 contacted the FBI.

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[Lilly]

Perhaps a sharp attorney should suggest the authorities need to arrest and charge everyone? 300+ million Americans should keep the system busy for awhile.

[Bendy Demon]

I am sorry to say but I really do not understand, what is it that this man did that was supposedly illegal and what do they mean when they stated that "all sorts of computer usage including stuff we do everyday" is illegal?

This article was vague and elusive in my mind.

[+and-then]

I am sorry to say but I really do not understand, what is it that this man did that was supposedly illegal and what do they mean when they stated that "all sorts of computer usage including stuff we do everyday" is illegal?

This article was vague and elusive in my mind.

I thought it was just my inability to understand. I saw nothing that explained what he supposedly did - other than dumping his access to others for a malicious use. That SHOULD be illegal, imo.

[Space Commander Travis]

it rather sounds as if you need to subscribe to Reply All on iTunes or with your favorite podcaster, visit our website or just listen on Soundcloud to find out exactly the law that Matthew Keys will be sentenced under: why many people hate it, why prosecutors love it, and why maybe, just maybe, you should be afraid of it.. Basically the whole story seems just a tantalizing trail. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to find out!

Edited October 29, 2015 by Norbert the Powerful

[Iron_Lotus]

I am sorry to say but I really do not understand, what is it that this man did that was supposedly illegal and what do they mean when they stated that "all sorts of computer usage including stuff we do everyday" is illegal?

This article was vague and elusive in my mind.

basically accessing any "protected" computer is grounds to be charged under this act usually it is just for government and financial institutions, but worded in such a way that well, crap like this is allowed. it's a criminal offense to give out passwords which he did among other things, even if it's all BS at the end of the day.

edit: theres not a lot in that specific act that makes things we regularly do on our computers illegal, actually its hard to find anything in that act that worries me at all, perhaps the writer of the article is just trying to get people worried about the incoming tpp/sopa bull**** which they should be.

https://wikileaks.org/tpp/static/pdf/Wikileaks-secret-TPP-treaty-IP-chapter.pdf

Edited October 29, 2015 by Iron_Lotus