10 ways you could be breaking the law with your computer without even knowing it

Are You Unknowingly Breaking the Law with your Computers?
Those of us who use our computers on a day to day basis have a tendency to take them and their use for granted.

Most of us have our WIFI connection set on automatic. We set our preferences to remember the networks we have accepted and let it do it’s thing.

WIFI for Dummies

We don’t take into account that there are many networks with the same name. Most of the networks out there are created by plugging in the wireless router and connecting it to the modem. This uses the default name for the network. How many networks have you seen named “linksys” or “NETGEAR”? Our computers just remember the network by their names and just connects to any open network.
(Post from Search Engine Optimizician.)

The big question is “Am I breaking the law?”.

The Answer is “…possibly!”.

1. Digital Millennium Copyright (DMCA) Act
   The DMCA makes it a criminal offense to circumvent any kind of technological copy protection. Even if you don’t violate anyone’s copyright in doing so. Simply disabling the copy protection is a federal crime.
2. No Electronic Theft (NET) Act
   The NET Act made copyright infringement a federal criminal offense, it doesn’t matter whether you circumvent copy-protection technology and/or derive any commercial benefit or monetary gain. Just making a copy of copyrighted work for a friend now makes you subject to up to five years in prison and/or up to $250,000 in fines.
3. Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)
   ACTA covers a number of areas, which include counterfeit products and generic medicines, but computer users are effected the chapter “Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights.”
4. Court rulings regarding border searches
   Be aware that even though you’ve done nothing illegal and are not even a suspect, the contents of your portable computer, PDA, or smart phone can be accessed by government agents when you enter the Unites States.
5. State and federal laws regarding access to networks
   “WIFI for Dummies”
   Many states have criminal laws that prohibits accessing any computer or network without the owner’s permission. The wording of most these laws include connecting to a wireless network without explicit permission, even if the network is unsecured.
6. “Tools of a crime” laws
   Some states actually have laws that make it a crime to possess a “criminal instrument” or the “tool of a crime.” What this means is that you could be arrested and prosecuted, for constructing a high gain wireless antenna for the purpose of tapping into someone else’s Wi-Fi network whether or not you actually accessed a network.
7. Cyberstalking and Cyberbullying laws
   The “cyberstalking” laws enacted by the states have a tendency to contain some pretty broad language. April 2009, the Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act (H.R. 1966) was introduced in the U.S. Congress. This would make it a federal crime to “intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to another person, using electronic means to support severe, repeated and hostile behavior.”
8. Internet gambling laws
   The federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 criminalizes acceptance of funds from bettors. Some state laws do apply to the person placing the bet. A Washington law passed in 2006 makes gambling on the Internet a felony.
9. Child pornography laws
   You be arrested for possession of child pornography or for exposing children to pornography even though you never voluntarily indulged in it.
10. Pro IP Act
    The Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act (Pro IP Act), signed into law in 2008, imposes stricter penalties for copyright infringement. Some local jurisdictions have also established seizure authority for piracy.

This post is paraphrased from “10 ways you might be breaking the law with your computer: UPDATED” by Debra Littlejohn Shinder, MVP posted March 10th, 2010. Please visit that website for more detailed information.

After all of that eye opening information we can no longer consider our selves innocent when it comes to using our computers. We are not computer babies any more.

Late,
Gary Pool SEO

Top Ten Ways to Break the Law with your Computer is a post stolen from the Search Engine Optimizician

The 700 MHz is one of the most talked about pieces of air in the history of civilization. Here’s why.

The 700 MHz spectrum of radio waves currently being auctioned by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will have a major impact on the future of mobile phones and the wireless Internet in the United States.

The auction kicked off Thursday, January 24. The first two days of the auction there were $3.7 billion in bids.

There are 214 pre-screened bidders, but They won’t let us know the identities of any of the winning bidders until the auction closes. We do know that the three biggest players in this game are Google, Verizon, and AT&T.

There are also a variety of other known bidders which include:

• Chevron
• Qualcomm
• Vulcan Ventures (led by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen)
• EchoStar
• U.S. Cellular
• Alltel
• Cox Communications
• Towerstream

You can see a full list of bidders at RCR Wireless News.

The 700 MHz auction will tip the wireless balance, but in which direction?
For more information please visit the TechRepublic Blog.

Conde Nast Portfolio has published a great visual aid to help us comprehend the 700 MHz spectrum.

What a great market to own. Or better yet to actually be the one to market it!

late,
gary

Is 700 MHz Really Worth Billions? is a post stolen from the Search Engine Optimizician

I’m at Jackman Joe a great place for coffee and pastry.
They have FREE WIFI and a fantastic atmosphere. It is much larger on the inside than it looks on the outside. I am here checking out a networking group. Jackman Joe is located at 16th and Marshall downtown Portland.
More later,
Gary

Jackman Joe Coffee is a post stolen from the Search Engine Optimizician

Well I’m in Vancouver and settled in. I am still looking for places to get WIFI. If any one knows where any of these are please let me know. It has been just too hot.

Gary

North of the Columbia River is a post stolen from the Search Engine Optimizician

If you live in Portland and drink coffee, you need to visit the Sacred Grounds espresso shop at I 205 & Sandy (adjacent to the Rodeway Inn – 9727 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, 97220 – (503) 459-4195). We have a Christian group get together almost every Saturday morning. They offer a great atmosphere and even better drinks. I bring this up because the offer free WIFI, even hard wired connections and room to set up your computer. The walls are decorated with band pictures and signed guitars. We get together and discuss the goings on of the day, from books to websites. Hope to see you there some Saturday.

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Late,
Gary Pool

optimizician is a post stolen from the Search Engine Optimizician