dbarberi@rodan.acs.syr.edu ([=-*> ZORGO <*-=]) (04/26/91)
Hey world, I've been hearing a lot of talk about the Laws, or lack of, concerning computers and computer hacking in the Netherlands. Can anyone tell me specifics about the law that is being considered now, and what the 'actual' reality is now ? thanks v---- notice the nifty quote! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ David Barberi | "Support the Electronic Frontier Foundation!" | Syracuse University |--------------------------------------------------| S.I. Newhouse School of | Bitnet: Dbarberi@SUNRISE | Public Communications | Internet: Dbarberi@Rodan.acs.syr.edu | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ropg@ooc.uva.nl (Rop Gonggrijp) (05/01/91)
dbarberi@rodan.acs.syr.edu ([=-*> ZORGO <*-=]) writes: > I've been hearing a lot of talk about the Laws, or lack of, concerning > computers and computer hacking in the Netherlands. Can anyone tell > me specifics about the law that is being considered now, and what > the 'actual' reality is now ? Well, it's a long story... In essence there is a proposal that our 2 chambers of parliament still have to vote on that says breaking into a computer system is a felony and can get you a maximum of 3 months in prison. This same pro- posal deals with electronic bank fraud and the rights of the police to kick in doors and confiscate computer equipment among many other things. The High Court here ruled however that a computer file is a document in the sense of the law, thus making (according to some lawyers) the whole thing rather futile except for the hacking article. The CRI, our 'feds' are putting eenormous pressure behind passing this law ("COMPUTER CRIME COSTS 20 BILLION EACH YEAR") and are not likely to give up. The events in the US, and especially the Neidorf trial, have made some people here see that giving the police too many laws to work with isn't a good thing. I can only hope that people see that computers are not mystical machines that need special ethics and laws to function. It'll be at least another while before the law passes (if it does) so until then, visit the hacker haven... -- Rop Gonggrijp (ropg@ooc.uva.nl) is also editor of Hack-Tic (hack/phreak mag.) quote: "We don't care about freedom of the mind, | Postbus 22953 (in DUTCH) freedom of signature will do just fine" | 1100 DL AMSTERDAM Any opinions in this posting are wasted on you | tel: +31 20 6001480