Suspected Of Spamming? No More Internet For You!
from the outcasts dept
Last year, following a series of stories where various computer criminals were banned from the internet, we wondered if that's a viable punishment these days. After all, so much of what we do is connected to the internet. On the face of it, it makes sense to say that someone who abused the system should no longer be allowed to use it, but how does that work when so much of what we do these days is internet-based? Would being banned from the internet include VoIP phones or IPTV? These days, you can use those types of things and not even realize it. So, it's interesting to find out that the UK is now proposing a more formal program for courts to ban various computer criminals from the internet. However, it seems to go even further, allowing the courts to even ban those who haven't been convicted, but are suspected of such crimes. It seems like a pretty extreme solution -- especially for people who haven't actually been convicted of a crime.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Well,
Course, it doesn't always apply in the US either...
Although I believe that this is an example of gov't trying too hard to prevent crime...
1st!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Well,
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Well,
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
pre-emptive punishment
you COULD commit a crime so you should be punished for it
the 1% doctrine is spreading to all things ;)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: pre-emptive punishment
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Simple punishment: every UCE sent = one year Internet ban
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
This has great potential for abuse...
The case that springs to mind immediately is one where a person convicted of fraud was given a parole condition of "must not use the Internet". It seems the police really wanted this guy in jail for some reason, so they caught him technically violating his parole. The violation? He viewed a weather forecast page on his mobile phone. Fortunately, the judge saw through the tactic and verbally spanked the police and prosecutor.
I am technically savvy, and even if I set out to not use Internet, I could likely be easily caught doing so unintentionally. The only way to ensure I did not would be to sit at home doing almost nothing. These days, even pressing the button at a crosswalk will sometimes be using an Internet client.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Last time I checked
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Last time I checked
Besides, in the U.S. drunk driving laws are set by each individual state. Do they all suspend license on first offense? And when does the suspension take effect? When they haul your drunk ass to jail or when you go before the judge?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Last time I checked
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Last time I checked
This was back in 2002
BTW I was not actually driving but parked.
Seriously tho how could they even keep track if you used it or not. you could visit friends and get online without letting anyone know (except your friend) that you were surfing.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Last time I checked
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Not only judges ban, bang
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Internet is too broad
I recently knew a young kid that fell into a bad thing, and was convited of a cyber crime. He was baned from the use of computers and computer like devices (this included everything from PCs to PDAs, Laptops, and yes Cell phones). He was also told he had to check in with his PO and the local Authorities every X number of days. This is where the fun begins as the Local PD he had to check in with was technically Savvy and wanted all parole check-ins to use a PC they set up at the station....
He was busted for following his parole requirements as set forth by a State judge but had to follow local policies. Things have turned out OK for him as the judge smacked the local PD for busting the poor kid and he ammended his parole restriction to allow him the use of that one PC.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Ban the Exploiters
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Think losing license on DUI is bad?
Don't jump to the conclusion this is a police state - we need to hire more police first.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
The only answer is: be prepared to fight, because in the last 5 years, we've lost more liberty than in the previous century, and we'll only get it back when we're ready to do what our Founders did: blow some shit up.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
or run, and be prepared to fight when the US comes to haul you back to the "homeland" (or, motherland, fatherland... anything else that large, out-of-touch, tyrranical governments call their scope of control)
fleeing religious persecution by a country that is run by the extremist right. (read: extremist christian church)
sound f'ing familiar anyone?
i find it supremely ironic that this country is fast becoming the very thing it was founded to avoid.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Crime doesn't pay
These are "Computer Criminals!" not spammers or hackers who just cause popups.
These are people who gain by means of deceipt, and thievery. People and companies lose tens of thousands of dollars to these crooks. Some of these victims were elderly, on fixed incomes, it may as well be their entire life's savings.
Do you really think the pinishment is too severe?
Go ask Grandma!
They're lucky we don't castrate the perverts and pedofiles also!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Crime doesn't pay
You're the one missing the point...
no one has argued that criminals should be denied the use of the nets...
its the fact that the legislation, along with alot these days, allows for people NOT convicted of any crime to be detained, and in some cases punished, with no legal course for reaction.
this is absolutely unacceptable in any modern society, let alone one that terms itself free!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Been there before
For real though, with public libraries and coffee shops everywhere with internet access, how can you really prevent someone from finding a way to access the internet? Implanted computer chip in the brain that senses emf activity generated from an active ethernet port? No more public library and coffee shop visits.
And Pope, hopefully you read this before going to jail for the last sentence in your post, this is happening in the UK not the US.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Spaming the spammers
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Spaming the spammers
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
and you will sotp them how?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I mean, if the police in the UK can shoot an innocent man 7 times in the head, because they were mistaken on who he was, why not ban people from the internet for suspecting them of crimes. Well, they'll probably ban completely innocent people first, due to mistaken identity.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
class action
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Penalty for un-protected computers?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
SUSPECTED of Spamming.....for you
[ link to this | view in chronology ]