PI License May Soon Be Required for Computer Forensics

buzzardsbay writes "The good folks over at Baseline Magazine have an intriguing — and worrisome — report on a movement to limit computer forensics work to those who have a Private Investigator license or those who work for licensed PI agencies. According to the story, pending legislation would limit the specialized task of probing deep into computer hard drives, network and server logs for telltale signs of hacking and data theft to the same people who advertise in the Yellow Pages for surveillance on cheating spouses, workers' compensation fraud and missing persons. Those caught practicing computer forensics without a license could face criminal prosecution."

Comments

Licensing is about power

[MikeRT]

I think the case of one of the doctors that prosecutor Mary Beth Buchanan went after illustrates a problem with the whole idea of licensing professions. The defense found that all of Buchanan's little hoochies who had testified against him, lying and saying he had traded sex for pain killers, had committed massive perjury, but he's still lost his license. Even if he gets totally exonerated he's not going to be able to legally work in his own profession until he gets the license back. Who the fuck is the state to tell people that they cannot pursue a peaceful profession while they are not sitting in prison? So what if you have incompetent doctors and such. I have news for you, do you know what they call the guy who graduates with the lowest possible passing score in medical school after he leaves medical school? That's right, doctor. We still grant licenses to people who are barely worth their alma mater's acreditation.

This won't do a thing for forensic services' professionalism. It doesn't even make sense. PI work is very different from forensics. Comparing PI work to forensics is as asinine as comparing a field agent or cop to a forensic examiner.

Besides, the state is always free to hire total whackjobs who just so happen to have a degree and some sort of license. Just do a search on theagitator.com for the stories about Dr. Hayne. Lovely character, and system that supports him. Guess what. He has a license.