Using Net Proxies Will Lead To Harsher Sentences

Afforess writes "'Proxy servers are an everyday part of Internet surfing. But using one in a crime could soon lead to more time in the clink,' reports the Associated Press. The new federal rules would make the use of proxy servers count as 'sophistication' in a crime, leading to 25% longer jail sentences. Privacy advocates complain this will disincentivize privacy and anonymity online. '[The government is telling people] ... if you take normal steps to protect your privacy, we're going to view you as a more sophisticated criminal,' writes the Center for Democracy and Technology. Others fear this may lead to 'cruel and unusual punishments' as Internet and cell phone providers often use proxies without users' knowledge to reroute Internet traffic. This may also ultimately harm corporations when employees abuse VPN's, as they too are counted as a 'proxy' in the new legislation. TOR, a common Internet anonymizer, is also targeted in the new legislation. Some analysts believe this legislation is an effort to stop leaked US Government information from reaching outside sources, such as Wikileaks. The legislation (PDF, the proposed amendment is on pages 5-15) will be voted on by the United States Sentencing Commission on April 15, and is set to take effect on November 1st. The EFF has already urged the Commission to reject the amendment."

Comments

Re:Don't break da lew and you don't worry then

[hairyfeet]

I wish! As someone who has lived most of his life on the wrong side of the tracks and dared to hang with blacks and bikers I can tell you that being tased would probably be considered nice treatment. It is more like "please don't rip my arms out of the socket bending my arms backward and then cracking my head with a nightstick because I dare to struggle when my shoulders pop out of socket". If you are tased it is usually because they are fat and or lazy. Most like their clubs and boots.

Remember the guy in high school that just LOVED to bully and would crack someone upside the head for being different? That person is now a law enforcement officer. Tasing? Probably would be considered light treatment by some of the thugs with badges I've run into. There are some mean motor scooters running around out there wearing a badge. For them, nothing says "I AM THE LAW" like their boots and nightstick. That is why you see those two things used in so many videos.