"Just as settlers in the old west couldn't necessarily always rely upon the local sheriff to provide good crime control, it may be in fact the case that Internet users may have to rely upon private parties, and third party concerns, for preventing crime, and enforcing certain criminal norms." <snip> "And in fact, these sorts of folks, whether its the software vendor, the hardware vendor, the Internet Service Provider, or the phone company, can in fact sometimes be in the best position to monitor the activities of their clients online, ...." [jump link for context] - March 16 Federalist Society Address by Michael O'Neill http://www.techlawjournal.com/security/20010316.asp Private protection rackets, rights management, and corporate enforcers abound for control and investigation functions....but self-defensive aggressive acts and vigilantism theories are often viewed askance. Any thoughts on how cybercrime and cybermaleficence will be addressed in the future? Support your argument with reason, selected quotes, prose or bardic lyre. ~Aimee Then a lawyer said, "But what of our Laws, master?" -- Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, On Laws http://www.columbia.edu/~gm84/gibran13.html