Crime Expert Backs Call For "License To Compute"

The Cable Guy writes to mention that Russel Smith, one of Australia's principal criminologists, is pushing for first-time computer users to be required to earn a license to browse the web. "The Australian Computer Society launched computer driver's licenses in 1999. It aimed to give users a basic level of competency before they started using PCs. But the growth in cybercrime has led to IT security experts such as Eugene Kaspersky to call for more formalized recognition of a user's identity so they can travel the net safely. Last week Dr. Smith sat in front of a Federal Government Inquiry into cybercrime and advised Australia's senior politicians on initiatives in train to fight cybercrime. He said that education was secondary to better technology solutions."

Comments

WTF?

[NotQuiteReal]

more formalized recognition of a user's identity so they can travel the net safely

How does letting THEM, know who I am, make ME safer?

Re:WTF?

[Zen Hash]

How does letting THEM, know who I am, make ME safer?

The same way painting your car red makes it go faster.

Re:WTF?

[swanzilla]

Agreed. Look at these particularly stupid statements: (1) "devise technology that makes it difficult or impossible for people to be defrauded" So some sort of mind control/constraint device for people then? Ha, ha. (2) "At the moment we have drivers licences for cars, and cars are very dangerous machines. Computers are also quite dangerous" Haven't seen anyone run over by a computer recently. I wonder what is the death toll caused by poor "driving" of a computer these days?

blatant plagiarizing is breathtakingly stupid
...from the comments in the origional story

A duo of breathtakingly stupid statements: (1) "devise technology that makes it difficult or impossible for people to be defrauded" Oh right. So some sort of mind control/constraint device for people then? (2) "At the moment we have drivers licences for cars, and cars are very dangerous machines. Computers are also quite dangerous" Haven't seen anyone run over by a computer recently. What exactly is the death toll caused by poor "driving" of a computer these days?

nice try though

Re:WTF?

[commodore64_love]

Hmmm. This requirement that you need a license/ID to "travel the net" is roughly equivalent to saying I need a license to walk down the sidewalk. "Papiere bitte." "I don't have any papers." "Papiere schnell!" "I told you I don't have any papers. Hey! Let go!" And then you get arrested for walking without ID.

You shouldn't need "permission" to travel freely either IRL or online.

Something like this happened on my Alma Mater. My old professor invited me to come visit for a student presentation day, which I did, and then I had dinner with some of the students, and watched a little MTV in the *public* lounge. Suddenly a security guard came-up and demanded my ID. I said it's in my car. Then she tried to escort me to the security office, and I refused. I told her I'll just leave and did so, even though she tried to stop me (I run faster).

To say I was angry is an understatement. Can you imagine the same thing happening everywhere you go in real life, or on the net???

Oh:

And yes the president of the college got an angry phonecall. I told him that he won't be getting any more donations from me. If my presence as a graduate is not welcome, then neither is my money.

Classic example

[G33kGuy]

Classic example of trading freedom for "security", I can only hope this is not put through. This could also severely restrict younger peoples (legal) access to the internet, narrowing their horizons drastically.

Basic safety steps - Saving AU $500k in dev cost

[Beardo the Bearded]

Dear Australia:

1. Get a hardware firewall and configure it properly.

2. Don't open unexpected attachments, even if you're trying to help because those strata minutes must have been sent to you by mistake and you should read them to find out who to send them to.

3. Don't click the banners.

4. No, it's not true. Don't forward the email.

5. If a computer asks you for information, lie.

6. It's not your bank. It's NEVER your bank. It's also never paypal, amazon, your ISP, or the police.

Love,
1999.

something that should be learned in school

[pwizard2]

I can understand where they are coming from, but they are going to implement it wrong. (with the heavy-handed license approach) Rather, I think that computer literacy should be something that should be taught in school along with reading and math, since computer skills essential in this day and age. The class shouldn't be about how to use popular software, (although covering operating systems besides Windows would be a plus) but should cover basic skills instead. People need to learn why they shouldn't click the "greetingcard.exe" attachment in their email inbox or why it is a bad idea to share too much personal information online. People don't always pick on stuff like that by themselves, so it has to be taught.

Re:Nonsense

[mcpkaaos]

Honestly I'd like to see them create separate tests for Linux, Mac and Windows cause one test does NOT apply to all three.

Well, the real test with Linux is installing it. The real test with Windows is not having to reinstall it every few months. I've only used a Mac a handful of times, but I'd imagine the real test there is enduring the daily beatings for your lunch money.

Okay, I tend to agree with you.

Re:Nonsense

[TheRaven64]

We Mac users don't have 'lunch money'. Carrying cash is far below us, and we wouldn't dream of any meal as pedestrian as 'lunch'. We live mainly on a diet of coffee (real coffee, not the plebeian Starbucks imitation that Windows-users drink or [shudder] instant coffee). When we dine, we do so lavishly, at the expense of others.

Re:Old Joke

[Dan541]

What's next, a license for sex?

We used to, it was called marriage.