back to article ACL-Sue: Civil rights warriors drag Uncle Sam to court for hacking laws

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) says the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) should be stricken for being unconstitutional. The civil rights group said in a filing [PDF] to the Washington, DC, District Court that the CFAA prevents researchers and whistleblowers from carrying out their work and violates both the …

  1. asdf

    hmm

    Hopefully the next administration isn't as openly hostile to whistle blowers as the current one (hacking AP phones) and the last one (Valerie Plame) but they will be which is why I suppose this suit is necessary.

    1. Mark 85

      Re: hmm

      Considering both front-runners at the current time... I wouldn't hold my breath about them not be openly hostile to whistle-blowers. They've both had lawsuits, etc. over this type of thing. (Lawsuits from them towards whistle blower types.)

      1. asdf

        Re: hmm

        Sigh yep

  2. a_yank_lurker

    CFAA

    Finally, someone is asking the courts to do their jobs and not rubberstamp what America's Native Criminal Class thinks should on the books.

    1. tom dial Silver badge

      Re: CFAA

      I am not a lawyer, but it seems to me the case is a bit weak. The challenged provision, 1030(a)(2)(C), may be unconstitutionally vague, but there does not seem to be a genuine controversy in the facts the ACLU states against which to test it. The applicable ACLU citations that I found seem off point for the circumstances ACLU cite, and do not show uniform success. One misdemeanor conviction was overturned on appeal; one case ended with a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit fraud involving about $25 million and a misdemeanor CFAA violation; one civil case brought under 1030a(4) - intent to defraud, not 1030a(2)(C) the plaintiffs challenge - apparently succeeded, while another civil case was dismissed. It is not clear that the plaintiffs' research proposals would expose them to significant risk of either criminal civil action.

      The CFAA certainly deserves significant revision, but the plaintiffs seem to want the court to do that rather than the Congress, which is the appropriate branch of government.

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