4 ms·

Does anyone know if it would it be illegal to look at and/or download this information once it is publicly available? I guess this would vary by country a bit.

Does anyone know if it would it be illegal to look at and/or download this information once it is publicly available? I guess this would vary by country a bit. Would this count as 'possession of stolen goods' type thing? Seems likely, though catching people or having the will to is another thing.

dogma1138 11y ago
Illegal, also once you've compiled a data base of PII the laws governing personal information apply to you so you can be screwed from both ways.
- lawnchair_larry 11y ago
  So it's illegal to copy the phone book or class graduation lists?
  - dogma1138 11y ago
    Yes copying them is copyright infringement, if you build them from source yourself then the rules governing PII apply.
    - koenigdavidmj 11y ago
      Phone books are not copyrightable. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feist_Publications,_Inc.,_v._Rural_Telephone_Service_Co https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feist_Publications,_Inc.,_v._R....
      - dogma1138 11y ago
        In the US maybe not, in Australia Telstra had copyright on the information in yellow and white pages till 2010, in the UK it's still protected by copyright as far as i know. UK Law: "original non-literary written work, eg software, web content and databases" Seems like the BT phone directory isn't protected however the database of yellow pages is still protected.
- innguest 11y ago
  How can it be illegal to see the evidence for a crime? Should we just trust the government to prosecute who they say committed a crime when you and I cannot verify that the government is in the right in arresting that person? How do we know a crime was committed if it's illegal to examine the evidence? Would you like to be accused of a crime where no one can examine the evidence and help prove you innocent? Should your whole family just trust that the government isn't lying while the judge assures people he's seen the evidence and it's true you're a criminal, but no one else can see it? Governments love this stuff.
  - rhino369 11y ago
    >How can it be illegal to see the evidence for a crime? It happens all the time, except that the defense is allowed to see the information.
deleted 11y ago
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dogma1138 11y ago

Illegal, also once you've compiled a data base of PII the laws governing personal information apply to you so you can be screwed from both ways.

lawnchair_larry 11y ago
So it's illegal to copy the phone book or class graduation lists?
- dogma1138 11y ago
  Yes copying them is copyright infringement, if you build them from source yourself then the rules governing PII apply.
  - koenigdavidmj 11y ago
    Phone books are not copyrightable. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feist_Publications,_Inc.,_v._Rural_Telephone_Service_Co https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feist_Publications,_Inc.,_v._R....
    - dogma1138 11y ago
      In the US maybe not, in Australia Telstra had copyright on the information in yellow and white pages till 2010, in the UK it's still protected by copyright as far as i know. UK Law: "original non-literary written work, eg software, web content and databases" Seems like the BT phone directory isn't protected however the database of yellow pages is still protected.
innguest 11y ago
How can it be illegal to see the evidence for a crime? Should we just trust the government to prosecute who they say committed a crime when you and I cannot verify that the government is in the right in arresting that person? How do we know a crime was committed if it's illegal to examine the evidence? Would you like to be accused of a crime where no one can examine the evidence and help prove you innocent? Should your whole family just trust that the government isn't lying while the judge assures people he's seen the evidence and it's true you're a criminal, but no one else can see it? Governments love this stuff.
- rhino369 11y ago
  >How can it be illegal to see the evidence for a crime? It happens all the time, except that the defense is allowed to see the information.

deleted 11y ago

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