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>Any person who goes about their day in a normal fashion breaks multiple laws every day. I've heard this assertion so many times, and after thinking about it,

>Any person who goes about their day in a normal fashion breaks multiple laws every day. I've heard this assertion so many times, and after thinking about it, I don't think it's actually true. I agree with the sentiment of your comment, but I don't think I'm actually breaking multiple laws every day. Feel free to prove me wrong. Edit: Could anyone at least provide me with an example of some laws that many people, and perhaps I, break every day unknowingly? That would be a start.

rosser 14y ago
Do you browse non-work-relevant websites on your company provided computer outside your lunch hour or other explicitly defined break times and against defined company policy? You've "exceeded authorized access". Do you have specific knowledge of someone possessing controlled substances in a jurisdiction or situation where they're forbidden (e.g., someone in a medical marijuana state who possesses even misdemeanor amounts of pot but doesn't have official medical sanction for its use, or anyone possessing any amount in a "dry" state)? Obstruction of justice. Have you ever taken a "mental health day" and called in sick when you aren't actually sick? You've defrauded your employer. These are all acts specifically described as illegal by the relevant statute. EDIT: clarifying language on "exceeding authorized access" case.
- snowwrestler 14y ago
  > Do you browse non-work-relevant websites on your company provided computer outside your lunch hour or other explicitly defined break times? You've "exceeded authorized access". Not true: http://www.pcworld.com/article/253581/court_violating_work_computeruse_policies_not_a_crime.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/253581/court_violating_work_c...
  - rosser 14y ago
    I don't think that ruling means what you think it means. The court adopted this interpretation and expanded its scope, ruling that an employee "exceeds authorized access" under the CFAA when they use a computer in way that violates an employer's access restrictions... They decided that, as a logical extension of this finding, the question of whether an employee "exceeds authorized access" is likewise determined by the employer's actions, including (but not limited to) the promulgation of computer use restrictions. Since Korn/Ferry indeed had such computer use restrictions, which the defendants violated when they accessed the executive database for fraudulent purposes, the Ninth Circuit court reversed the district court's decision and remanded the district court to reinstate the five counts under Section (a)(4). [1] If your employer says you can't browse Facebook or Hacker News with your work computer, and you do, you're "exceeding authorized access". [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Nosal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Nosal
    - snowwrestler 14y ago
      "The result of the hearing was published April 10th 2012 and states that the court chose a narrow interpretation of the CFAA, holding that the phrase “exceeds authorized access” in the CFAA does not extend to violations of use restrictions.[9]"
BudVVeezer 14y ago
Being in a position where we could prove you wrong would cause us to break multiple laws.
shrike 14y ago
I'd recommend Three Felonies A Day by Harvey Silverglate. It's a good review of exactly this issue. http://www.amazon.com/Three-Felonies-Day-Innocent-ebook/dp/B00505UZ4G/ http://www.amazon.com/Three-Felonies-Day-Innocent-ebook/dp/B...
scarecrowbob 14y ago
Well, I dunno where you live. I'm in TX and I see this happen a lot: According to Texas Criminal and Traffic Law section 101.31, possession of more than one quart of liquor or more than 24 12-ounce beers in a dry area is evidence of intent to sell alcohol. I've lived in two dry cities in TX, BTW.
potatolicious 14y ago
Jaywalking, I do this every day. Even stepping off the curb before the walk light turns. Not stopping completely at a stop sign. Sharing a cat photo you found online. Doubly so if you rehosted it (imgur, Instagram, etc). Sharing stuff on the internet, even without shades of piracy, is fraught with copyright problems. Speeding. I'd be very surprised if you drove at or below the speed limit all the time, every day. Not speeding - there are minimum speed statutes in some jurisdictions. Not in the US, but in other jurisdictions like Japan and France, taking a random picture on the street where someone is identifiable. The list goes on, and on, and on...
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
- sbov 14y ago
  Jaywalking - stepping off the curb and into the crosswalk when the red hand is flashing is jaywalking. Everyone does it though.
  - jacalata 14y ago
    I would be surprised if anyone didn't know this was illegal, though?
    - sp332 14y ago
      When it's flashing, not solid? I didn't know that.
      - potatolicious 14y ago
        Differs by jurisdiction, obviously, but everywhere I've ever been it's illegal to begin crossing when the light is flashing, and legal to complete a crossing already in progress.
      - wrs 14y ago
        That's the whole point of the flashing. It tells you when it's too late to start walking and make it across the street before the light changes. Some cities have a little quick-reference guide stuck to the pole to remind you of this. Here in Seattle it used to be quite common to get a ticket for jaywalking. Now it only seems to happen if you block traffic flow on a downtown street during rush hour.

rosser 14y ago

Do you browse non-work-relevant websites on your company provided computer outside your lunch hour or other explicitly defined break times and against defined company policy? You've "exceeded authorized access". Do you have specific knowledge of someone possessing controlled substances in a jurisdiction or situation where they're forbidden (e.g., someone in a medical marijuana state who possesses even misdemeanor amounts of pot but doesn't have official medical sanction for its use, or anyone possessing any amount in a "dry" state)? Obstruction of justice. Have you ever taken a "mental health day" and called in sick when you aren't actually sick? You've defrauded your employer. These are all acts specifically described as illegal by the relevant statute. EDIT: clarifying language on "exceeding authorized access" case.

snowwrestler 14y ago
> Do you browse non-work-relevant websites on your company provided computer outside your lunch hour or other explicitly defined break times? You've "exceeded authorized access". Not true: http://www.pcworld.com/article/253581/court_violating_work_computeruse_policies_not_a_crime.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/253581/court_violating_work_c...
- rosser 14y ago
  I don't think that ruling means what you think it means. The court adopted this interpretation and expanded its scope, ruling that an employee "exceeds authorized access" under the CFAA when they use a computer in way that violates an employer's access restrictions... They decided that, as a logical extension of this finding, the question of whether an employee "exceeds authorized access" is likewise determined by the employer's actions, including (but not limited to) the promulgation of computer use restrictions. Since Korn/Ferry indeed had such computer use restrictions, which the defendants violated when they accessed the executive database for fraudulent purposes, the Ninth Circuit court reversed the district court's decision and remanded the district court to reinstate the five counts under Section (a)(4). [1] If your employer says you can't browse Facebook or Hacker News with your work computer, and you do, you're "exceeding authorized access". [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Nosal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Nosal
  - snowwrestler 14y ago
    "The result of the hearing was published April 10th 2012 and states that the court chose a narrow interpretation of the CFAA, holding that the phrase “exceeds authorized access” in the CFAA does not extend to violations of use restrictions.[9]"

BudVVeezer 14y ago

Being in a position where we could prove you wrong would cause us to break multiple laws.

shrike 14y ago

I'd recommend Three Felonies A Day by Harvey Silverglate. It's a good review of exactly this issue. http://www.amazon.com/Three-Felonies-Day-Innocent-ebook/dp/B00505UZ4G/ http://www.amazon.com/Three-Felonies-Day-Innocent-ebook/dp/B...

scarecrowbob 14y ago

Well, I dunno where you live. I'm in TX and I see this happen a lot: According to Texas Criminal and Traffic Law section 101.31, possession of more than one quart of liquor or more than 24 12-ounce beers in a dry area is evidence of intent to sell alcohol. I've lived in two dry cities in TX, BTW.

potatolicious 14y ago

Jaywalking, I do this every day. Even stepping off the curb before the walk light turns. Not stopping completely at a stop sign. Sharing a cat photo you found online. Doubly so if you rehosted it (imgur, Instagram, etc). Sharing stuff on the internet, even without shades of piracy, is fraught with copyright problems. Speeding. I'd be very surprised if you drove at or below the speed limit all the time, every day. Not speeding - there are minimum speed statutes in some jurisdictions. Not in the US, but in other jurisdictions like Japan and France, taking a random picture on the street where someone is identifiable. The list goes on, and on, and on...

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
sbov 14y ago
Jaywalking - stepping off the curb and into the crosswalk when the red hand is flashing is jaywalking. Everyone does it though.
- jacalata 14y ago
  I would be surprised if anyone didn't know this was illegal, though?
  - sp332 14y ago
    When it's flashing, not solid? I didn't know that.
    - potatolicious 14y ago
      Differs by jurisdiction, obviously, but everywhere I've ever been it's illegal to begin crossing when the light is flashing, and legal to complete a crossing already in progress.
    - wrs 14y ago
      That's the whole point of the flashing. It tells you when it's too late to start walking and make it across the street before the light changes. Some cities have a little quick-reference guide stuck to the pole to remind you of this. Here in Seattle it used to be quite common to get a ticket for jaywalking. Now it only seems to happen if you block traffic flow on a downtown street during rush hour.