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German Teen Charged with Creating Sasser
nomoreself writes "Sven Jaschan, only 18 years old, has been indicted by prosecutors in Verden, Germany for allegedly releasing the well known Sasser worm. The PC World article has the details, including the fact that Microsoft's $250,000 reward offer was responsible for informants' coming forth with Jaschan's name, and that Jaschan has actually already confessed to writing several versions of Netsky, as well as the worm in question. Surprisingly enough, the 143 victims that have filed charges are only claiming $158,000 worth of damages." You might remember when he was first arrested back in May.
Yeah, I'm surprised this article didn't have the infamous, "Your Rights Online," heading attached to it. I would expect it with any slashdot story relating to law enforcement and computers, even if the article is not directly about my civil rights on the Internet. In other words, I think this heading a bit overused. And I think, quite honestly (so don't call me a troll) that it betrays--on the part of the person posting the article--a little sympathy with and thinly veiled support of the "victims" referred to certain articles, even when these "victims" are clearly criminals in the legal sense (the actual merit of their behavior notwithstanding). Computer nerds sympathize with digital subversion, I guess. But it shouldn't leak into their journalism! But, the heading wasn't supplied with this article, so my opinion of the review process here on slashdot stays at a steady approval rating this day.....
I disagree. The law is only able to be followed and enforced consistantly and fairly if it is derived from reason and logic. Attempting to judge based on circumstances lets in a certain amount of subjectivity that can easily and quickly become unmanageble. Having absolute law is the only kind of law possible in a system run by imperfect beings.