Teenage jounralist could get 15 years in jail for online protest.

[Dags90]

Err, taking down business websites because they made business desicions that they don't agree with? That doesn't sound particularly "good and righteous" to me but 15 years is a bit harsh. 15 years is what you give a fully grown attempted murders or someone robs a bank or burns down a house, not an internet hacker.

It's the maximum sentence. Someone I was friends in high school did a senior prank involving smoke bombs and three of them were over 18. It was a big media blitz for a week and they were facing "up to 25 years". They wound up with 100 hours of community services and a probation that led to the charges being annulled if they successfully complete their probation.

 

[SillyBear]

How the fuck can Rupert Murdoch get away with his shit, but this girl has to be pursued cause she broke the law? Bull. Fucking. Shit.

I'm sorry, are you complaining that this girl is in trouble with the law, for breaking the law?

I am seriously confused.

No, he's complaining about the injustices that are inherent within the legal system. Rupert Murdoch is in charge of a huge company that did unspeakably awful things and he gets away scott free, this girl does something far less severe and gets the book thrown at her.

They both deserve to be punished. Not just one. That's what he is saying.

At least, that's what I think he is saying!

 

[Stall]

The DDoS attacks against PayPal violated federal laws against "unauthorized and knowing transmission of code or commands resulting in intentional damage to a protected computer system," according to the FBI. The attacks flood websites with meaningless web traffic to slow them down and can sometimes knock websites offline entirely.

How DARE the FBI punish someone for breaking the law! The nerve of our government! Actually punishing people who intentionally cause property damage! This is why our country is going to the libruls!!!!!!

Seriously. This is stupid, pointless thread. There's a fucking difference between peaceful protect, and protect that is causing property damage. One is a really good thing, but the other is kind of against the law, and an insult to people who do engage in the really good thing. Even if it is in the name of protest, it's still fucking vandalism. Sure, there are a few people that don't get as severe as punishment as they might deserve, but that doesn't mean we should just stop punishing crimes.

Rich people have always gotten off better than the common man in terms of the law. It happened when law was first conceived, and still happens. It's a fact of life. You don't have to be happy about it, no, but it's pointless to complain about it. Just be a realist and accept it.

 

[ScarlettRage]

I sense a flamewar... She broke the law, end of story.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Huh, that was quick. Usually with topics like this, it take a page or two of baseless verbal attacks aimed at the authorities before someone points out that the story isn't as bad as it sounds.

I guess we can get to the part where everyone continues to ignore reason in favor of random flaming now. Go ahead, Escapist. Make me proud.

Well...you're an iguana. Nyer.

Seriously, though, I really wish people would stick to at least pretending to be unbiased in reporting on things like this.

TBF, though, the Escapist itself likes jumping at any hint of exciting new technologies and spin-doctoring them into existence if the reality is a bit dull, so I guess it's par for the course.

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

....15 years? Are you shitting me?

She better not have to serve all of that time. Because there are rapists that get out in less time than that.

...Sheez, yes, she broke the law, and deserves to get punished if caught. But 15 years?! That's ridiculous.

 

[Doctor Glocktor]

....15 years? Are you shitting me?

She better not have to serve all of that time. Because there are rapists that get out in less time than that.

...Sheez, yes, she broke the law, and deserves to get punished if caught. But 15 years?! That's ridiculous.

Just scroll a few posts up, bud. Don't worry, its allll there.

 

[Neverhoodian]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/07/25/journalism-student-faces-15-years-for-alleged-anonymous-hacktivism/

What annoys me about this is that CEO's who fruaded millions can get off with less than a year, but a person trying to do good gets punished.

Sure, they aren't arresting any at HBgarey for conspiracy, or going after REAL threats from REAL hackers, or trying to be more transparent, nope, let's spend thousands of dollars arresting some 16-year old for peacful protest, put here in a jail cell that could house a murder.

God I hate my country at times.

It doesn't matter if you think her actions were noble (which they weren't), she still broke the law. The courts have every right to prosecute her for her actions.

Also, the key word here is "could" get 15 years. I seriously doubt they'll give her the maximum sentence for this. Even if they did, there's a good chance she'll get out early for good behavior.

On a related note, I think you need to brush up on your understanding of the word "hacker:"
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hacker

 

[intheweeds]

Even though 15 years is a little steep she was still wrong. What she did wasn't an online protest, a protest is peaceful and it gets your word across without hindering the operations of whoever your protesting against. What she did was more in lines of a riot, attacking private corporations and hindering their operations because of their own private choices.

I agree, if she assisted in DDoS attacks against PayPal, she was breaking the law. Regardless of her reason for doing so. Millions of people were no doubt inconvenienced who had nothing to do with Wikileaks or even had any idea what was going on. It's like halting all operations in all branches of a major bank. You're dealing with access to peoples money, it's actually a really big deal.

I do think 15 years is maybe too much, but who am I to say? I don't really know anything in depth about the situation. It does say she is 'facing' 15 years. It just means that's the maximum, she may get less than that. But honestly, without knowing any details about the case, how can i say she doesn't deserve the whole 15?

 

[JasonKaotic]

Some of you seem to think pretty harshly.
Sure what she did was a crime and all, but this is fifteen years in prison for taking a website offline for a little while. She's facing longer time in prison than a lot of freakin' murderers do for something that was pretty much harmless.

 

[conflictofinterests]

Even though 15 years is a little steep she was still wrong. What she did wasn't an online protest, a protest is peaceful and it gets your word across without hindering the operations of whoever your protesting against. What she did was more in lines of a riot, attacking private corporations and hindering their operations because of their own private choices.

I don't think protest means what you think it means. Protests IRL are designed to impede the flow of work, generally stopping people from doing jobs the protesters see as furthering an unacceptable cause. Someone might lay down in front of a bulldozer attempting to destroy a valued historical site, or chain themselves to a tree to prevent it being cut down.

In general, protesting involves a lot of prevention of things from happening.

Maybe DDoS is protesting, maybe it isn't, but you seem to have an inaccurate assessment of the term.

 

[Gudrests]

Let me get this straight:

The "teenager" is 20.
Her "peaceful protest" was a DDoS attack.
While she's faces "up to" 15 years, she hasn't actually been sentenced to that much. And, as it's the maximum sentence, it's actually quite unlikely she'll serve that much.

In short, is there anything about the OP that isn't misleading or meant to be inflammatory?

OP needs to get his shit straight...not peaceful protest..When its a crime. Lock her up. 15 years is alot but thats also the max...which she wont get. But it was a crime..and not a journalist...Journalism student....IE NOT A JOURNALIST....your right here...OP IS BAD OP

 

[JezebelinHell]

Huh, that was quick. Usually with topics like this, it take a page or two of baseless verbal attacks aimed at the authorities before someone points out that the story isn't as bad as it sounds.

I guess we can get to the part where everyone continues to ignore reason in favor of random flaming now. Go ahead, Escapist. Make me proud.

I am betting we will still have the same amount of those posts even with the reality sitting right on page 1. They will skim the info, be offended and off they go.

LOL teenage 20 year old journalism student... LOL, peaceful protest... From the misleading info of the OP I think he/she will be pursuing the same major.

Personally with all the problems with hacking lately I hope they nail everyone of them with the max. Just because other crimes don't warrant enough time on the books doesn't mean this one deserves less time.

 

[AMMO Kid]

She broke the law. YES I get that she was trying to do good, but doing illegal things for the greater good is still illegal.

 

[Deathninja19]

How is hacking PayPal "doing good" or "peaceful"? It's a crime for a reason.
15 years is too much for this, but I for one am glad she's being punished.

Quoted for truth my man.

 

[Ramzal]

A crime is a crime. And the law is the law. She should get like, 3 years but yes. She had it coming. You don't back hand a Grizzly Bear in the testicles and expect it to offer you some cake afterwards.

 

[dtthelegend]

Let me get this straight:

The "teenager" is 20.
Her "peaceful protest" was a DDoS attack.
While she's faces "up to" 15 years, she hasn't actually been sentenced to that much. And, as it's the maximum sentence, it's actually quite unlikely she'll serve that much.

In short, is there anything about the OP that isn't misleading or meant to be inflammatory?

OP needs to get his shit straight...not peaceful protest..When its a crime. Lock her up. 15 years is alot but thats also the max...which she wont get. But it was a crime..and not a journalist...Journalism student....IE NOT A JOURNALIST....your right here...OP IS BAD OP

lol. silly Gudrests, he said she was a "jounralist" not a "journalist"! its right there in the topic title.Common mistake.

Seriously though, my troll senses are going haywire with this OP.

 

[EhDerangedMonk]

How does one protest an internet-based company's activities?
People lie in front of a bulldozer or chain themselves to trees - impeding work flow using non-violent means that likely cost the company both time and money
You cannot physically impede Paypal's activities as there is no physical movement to impede.
Sure one can find the company's servers and disable them but that results in dozens of crimes that by any objective viewpoint cannot be construed as reasonable. The most logical form of getting an online company's attention and protesting their activities is to interrupt them without causing permanent damage to anything. To my knowledge a DDoS 'attack' is the only way to protest in a manner akin to what people do in the physical world.

If there had been information stolen or all payments redirected to her bank account then we would clearly have a criminal. As it stands the laws in place governing the internet are insufficient and fail to account for all potential situations. Many of the lawmakers in power today do not understand the internet as it is today and it will be a long time before internet law is all encompassing.

 

[Deathninja19]

How the fuck can Rupert Murdoch get away with his shit, but this girl has to be pursued cause she broke the law? Bull. Fucking. Shit.

The answer is in your quote, she broke the law simple as that. What Rupert Murdoch did or didn't do is irrelivant that's like saying how is this suspected murderer getting sentenced to life when that suspected burgular gets off scott free.