Slashdot Mirror
House OKs Life Sentences For Hackers
ByteHog writes "The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Monday to create a new punishment of life imprisonment for malicious computer hackers. The article on MSNBC also mentions that police can conduct internet or telephone eavesdropping without first obtaining a court order. Says a Rep from Texas: 'A mouse can be just as dangerous as a bullet or a bomb.'" Other articles can be found here and the text of the bill is available.
Says a Rep from Texas: 'A mouse can be just as dangerous as a bullet or a bomb.'"
This is true (Disney)
Says a Rep from Texas: 'A mouse can be just as dangerous as a bullet or a bomb.'"
If this is the case I see no reason why Best Buy should not be allowed to stock bombs.
Imagine the possibilities. This could bring smiles back to the faces of teens everywhere.
They'll just bomb your country.
It is illegal to kill someone. It is also illegal to kill someone because of their race or sexuality. And now it is illegal to kill someone using a computer. Glad we got this worked out.
Coding Blog
Today, the US Government passed a landmark bill that allows for life inprisonment for attempted murder through a computer. "Anyone can just sit down at their computer, push a button, and POOF! Instant erasure of the worst kind." says Attourney General John Ashcroft, "Not to mention most hackers can destroy the world economy from their parents basement."
Senetor Hollings also commented, "I believe this new legislation will act as a deterrant for would-be hackers trying to kill people with pirated music." he continues, "The reason why there aren't more people with broadband Internet connections is precisely because of things like this. How can the movie industry adopt a medium that can kill people with the push of a button? No, no one wants broadband if they know there's hackers out there that can kill them with a few mouse clicks."
A representative from the Bush Administration says that the new law will cut down on the rampant child pornography rings on the Internet by allowing Federal investigators to intercept any email containing questionable material and forward it directly to the President.
President Bush commented, "Al Queda is encrypting messages in porn sites all over the Internet. I plan to PERSONALLY put an end to this terrorist network."
-Riskable
"Those who choose proprietary software will pay for their decision!"
The Mongrel Dogs Who Teach
'A mouse can be just as dangerous as a bullet or a bomb.'
Just great, now we'll have a five-day waiting period on mice, and export controls.
And now that he's equated mice with weapons, wouldn't the 2nd Amendment kick in to guarantee your right to keep and bear mice?
Last question in relation to that statement: If a cracker only uses the keyboard, is he safe from prosecution?
That's like complaining that you could get LIFE in PRISON for using a screw driver. If you use that screw driver to tighten screws, you're fine. If you stick it in someone's eye and wiggle it around, you may be facing LIFE in PRISON for the MURDER that you committed with your SCREW DRIVER.
Good point. We need a new screwdriver law.
im from texas and what amazes me is the fact the administration is pushing this bill to make 'computer crimes' as you say, "special" and "different". when james byrd was dragged to death in jasper, tx several years ago when bush was govenor, bush would not pass a hate crimes bill b/c he said all crimes are hate. i dont understand! this man was flat out murdered b/c of pure hatred and he wouldnt make a hate crimes bill. there isnt one computer crime that matches that for me, and yet he's pushing a computer crimes bill. argh, the injustices of this cruel, cruel world.
------
[insert funny
With commands like 'kill', 'killall', 'bash', 'dig', 'cut' and 'wipe' we have clearly frightened our legislators. And with commands like 'head', 'tail', 'latex' and 'gawk' they think we are perverts too.