How Does Your Computer Repair Person Define Child Porn?
from the it's-a-wooly-booger dept
Some Oklahoma politicians are worried about some new legislation that says computer technicians are required to report any child porn they find on computers they repair. Those against the law say that the technicians aren't trained to know what child porn actually is (what if they just look young, for instance?) and also wonder what happens to the person who accidentally opens up some porn spam and has child porn stuck on his (or her) hard drive. These are certainly issues, but it might depend more on how they're dealt with. It's a problem if anyone fingered by a computer technician is immediately sent to jail - but otherwise, I'm not sure what's so awful about this law. If you're cleaning a car and find drugs in the glove compartment aren't you supposed to report that as well? In the end, it really depends on how the information is used. The real issue - like all child porn laws - seems to depend on whether or not anyone who accidentally accesses child porn is suddenly considered a felon.
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I would wonder
I would have to wonder what exactly the technician was doing looking at images that are in their temporary internet files directory, or worse, reading the e-mail messages (deleted or not) in their e-mail program. Sounds to me like someone is snooping where they don't belong.
On that note, anyone stupid enough to take a PC with a hard drive full of kiddy porn in for repairs deserves the same level of respect that a drug runner would get for taking his cargo van full of marijuana bundles in for repairs.
Next thing you know, Microsoft will get a law passed that says that technicians are required to verify serial numbers and CD-Keys on all software on a PC that is brought in for repairs.
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Re: I would wonder
Whole-heartedly agree here. Ya gotta remember though - people are stoopid!
This is largely a common sense article about a common sense bill/law. What I found distressing and downright offensive is the following quote from the article describing [us] technicians,
"These are nerds, folks. These are people who can't even deal with sexuality," Wilson said.
Wilson, 7#(% U!
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Way too Blurry for Snap Reactions
So, am I breaking the law? I can think of a dozen ways someone who really wanted to could get me (or anyone else) to accept an image file, without me ever finding out. If it were encoded, compressed, encrypted, or even given some innocuous name, it could be included with any kind of installation process or zip file on a CD or in a downloaded application.
I've read too many stories about the government descending and carrying off all of someone's computer equipment to feel comfortable with this kind of legislation.
Regarding the "drugs in the glove compartment", be careful there too. One man's oregano is another man's suspected pot. A coworker used to grow catnip at work and bring home a baggie of it now and then for her cats. We called it her stash.
And, as we all found out recently with the anthrax scare, white powder can be almost anything!
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