Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Are Programmers Responsible For the Actions of Their Clients?

Posted by timothy on from the ok-now-let's-talk-tortkey dept.

Bobfrankly1 writes "Robert Stuart and his company Extensions Software are being charged by New York authorities, claiming he is promoting gambling in New York because of the actions of his clients. They are charging him after he rejected a plea agreement that would have him plead guilty to lesser charges, adding backdoors to his software, and using said backdoors to gather details on his clients and their customers." Another article on the case at Salon.

5 of 222 comments (clear)

  1. No. by Threni · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There's no need to elaborate, is there? The analogies you conjur up in your mind are sufficient to tell you just how stupid an idea this is.

    1. Re:No. by NFN_NLN · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I found a similar story on another obscure website:

      "An anonymous reader points out the case of Saeed Malekpour, an Iranian-born permanent resident of Canada who worked as a web developer. In 2008, during a visit to Iran, Malekpour was arrested and detained by Iranian authorities on charges that he designed and moderated "adult content websites." In 2009, he was sentenced to death for "acting against the national security, insulting and desecrating the principles of Islam, and agitating the public mind." Malekpour wrote photo-uploading software, and in a letter he sent from prison, he said it was used by porn sites without his knowledge."

      http://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/01/22/0354253/web-developer-sentenced-to-death-in-iran

    2. Re:No. by anagama · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Why not address the larger issue of why the government has to be everyone's mom? People will gamble. Some people enjoy it. Some people get hurt. The identical thing can be said for anything: mountain biking, ice cream, jogging, or french fries.

      How's the saying go? Canada got the French. Australia got the cons. And we got the Puritans.

      fucking puritans.

      --
      What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
  2. Wrong headline by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The real issue here is: Should software makers backdoor their programs for cops?

    Stuart showed Wired a plea agreement signed by former Manhattan Assistant District Attorney James Meadows, which stated that he would plead guilty to second- and fourth-degree money laundering charges and assist the DA's investigations by, among other things, "aiding in the design of software used to obtain records, usernames, passwords, and other information stored on websites using" his company's software.

    Illegal. Any evidence acquired by that software would not be usable in court.

  3. Re:No by Synerg1y · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Are gun makers responsible for how their guns are used? :)