5 ms·

How much bounty would Apple pay, say if somebody steals one and sends it to them? Is it illegal to them to make such an offer?

by verroq 9y ago

djrogers 9y ago
The ‘offer’ isn’t illegal - going through with it would be though, for both sides. Grand theft and receiving stolen goods. Both not great, plus you’d be actively acting against the law enforcement system which would ensure a zealous prosecution.
- TheSpiceIsLife 9y ago
  Would making the offer be considered conspiracy to commit crime, or some such?
- sgc 9y ago
  Of course it is. You can't broadcast a bounty on someone's life, or their property, or any other illegal act. It is solicitation.
jlgaddis 9y ago
"Possession of stolen property" is a crime in many places. I imagine that telling someone, "Steal that TV and I'll give you $100 for it" would, additionally, make you a conspirator to the crime of theft.
craftyguy 9y ago
Well in most places, theft is illegal. On the other hand, perhaps Apple could secretly partner with a law enforcement team and purchase one for themselves. $15k and $30k are literally nothing to Apple with their warchest in the tens of billions.
- retrac98 9y ago
  Hundreds of billions
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
roywiggins 9y ago
It might count as theft of trade secrets. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1832 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1832
ryanlol 9y ago
You would obviously just refrain from discussing the manner in which the device was acquired.
- paulcole 9y ago
  The cops have never heard that one before.
  - gh02t 9y ago
    It's a realistic point though. Illegal industrial espionage definitely happens and with the resources of a huge multinational corporation it becomes easier to conceal behind a wall of secrecy and misdirection. I doubt Apple would do it, but it also wouldn't surprise me and they definitely could. All they have to do is discretely obtain the device in question and have a few good engineers quietly pick it apart for a few weeks to figure out how it works. They then patch the vulnerability in a regular update claiming they discovered it as part of normal procedure and nobody takes notice. Edit: the legality of the device itself is kinda interesting to me. Like, even if it is doing something illegal (like using stolen code or something), how would Apple prove it as long as it was only sold to law enforcement? If the police aren't asking too many questions and Apple can't legally acquire one, how do they prove it? I suppose they'd have to gather enough circumstantial evidence to get a judge to issue a subpoena, but things get a bit dark and fuzzy.
    - robin_reala 9y ago
      Is this not automatically illegal under the DMCA? Well, assuming the company in question is based in the US.
      - matthewmacleod 9y ago
        The DMCA specifically criminalises the circumvention of copyright protection methods, not all access controls.
        9y ago

How much bounty would Apple pay, say if somebody steals one and sends it to them? Is it illegal to them to make such an offer?

by verroq 9y ago

How much bounty would Apple pay, say if somebody steals one and sends it to them? Is it illegal to them to make such an offer?

djrogers 9y ago

The ‘offer’ isn’t illegal - going through with it would be though, for both sides. Grand theft and receiving stolen goods. Both not great, plus you’d be actively acting against the law enforcement system which would ensure a zealous prosecution.

TheSpiceIsLife 9y ago
Would making the offer be considered conspiracy to commit crime, or some such?
sgc 9y ago
Of course it is. You can't broadcast a bounty on someone's life, or their property, or any other illegal act. It is solicitation.

jlgaddis 9y ago

"Possession of stolen property" is a crime in many places. I imagine that telling someone, "Steal that TV and I'll give you $100 for it" would, additionally, make you a conspirator to the crime of theft.

craftyguy 9y ago

Well in most places, theft is illegal. On the other hand, perhaps Apple could secretly partner with a law enforcement team and purchase one for themselves. $15k and $30k are literally nothing to Apple with their warchest in the tens of billions.

retrac98 9y ago
Hundreds of billions

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

roywiggins 9y ago

It might count as theft of trade secrets. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1832 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1832

ryanlol 9y ago

You would obviously just refrain from discussing the manner in which the device was acquired.

paulcole 9y ago
The cops have never heard that one before.
- gh02t 9y ago
  It's a realistic point though. Illegal industrial espionage definitely happens and with the resources of a huge multinational corporation it becomes easier to conceal behind a wall of secrecy and misdirection. I doubt Apple would do it, but it also wouldn't surprise me and they definitely could. All they have to do is discretely obtain the device in question and have a few good engineers quietly pick it apart for a few weeks to figure out how it works. They then patch the vulnerability in a regular update claiming they discovered it as part of normal procedure and nobody takes notice. Edit: the legality of the device itself is kinda interesting to me. Like, even if it is doing something illegal (like using stolen code or something), how would Apple prove it as long as it was only sold to law enforcement? If the police aren't asking too many questions and Apple can't legally acquire one, how do they prove it? I suppose they'd have to gather enough circumstantial evidence to get a judge to issue a subpoena, but things get a bit dark and fuzzy.
  - robin_reala 9y ago
    Is this not automatically illegal under the DMCA? Well, assuming the company in question is based in the US.
    - matthewmacleod 9y ago
      The DMCA specifically criminalises the circumvention of copyright protection methods, not all access controls.
      - 9y ago