U.K. anti-terrorism law imperils hackers, privacy, property

[Steve Thompson]

Quoting Declan McCullagh (declan at well.com):
[snip]
>    Americans, be warned. Congress is spending more and more time talking
>    about bio-chem, Internet, and nuclear attacks. Soon you could be
>    facing the same invasions of privacy and property.

A good exercise for the students would be to discuss how legislative
initiatives such as this will affect non-institutional research into molecular
and biological sciences and related fields.
 
>    In a discussion on a U.K. mailing list, Ross Anderson of Cambridge
>    University said that the law was written so broadly that it could
>    imperil his computer security work. Predicted Anderson: "So now we
>    know. We are all terrorists now!"

All scientists are potential terrorists.
    
> EXCERPTS FROM TERRORISM ACT:
> 
>    
> Arrest of suspected terrorists power of entry.  81. A constable may
> enter and search any premises if he reasonably suspects that a
> terrorist, within the meaning of section 40(1)(b), is to be found
> there.

Terrorist (n.), Any person or expert system (excepting registered
corporations) which acts in such a manner as to make a police officer
suspicious that he, she, or it might engage in or think about engaging in
terrorist activates.
 
> Terrorist information.  103. - (1) A person commits an offence if- (a)
> he collects, makes a record of, publishes, communicates or attempts to
> elicit information about a person to whom this section applies which
> is of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing
> an act of terrorism, or (b) he possesses a document or record
> containing information of that kind.

So the U.K. Government will no doubt apply to have the principles of
google.com extradited for prosecution.
 
> Arrest without warrant.  41. - (1) A constable may arrest without a
> warrant a person whom he reasonably suspects to be a terrorist.  (2)
> Where a person is arrested under this section the provisions of
> Schedule 8 (detention treatment, review and extension) shall apply.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.  Those wacky politicians.
 
[snip]


Regards,

Steve

-- 
``If religion were nothing but an illusion and a sham, there could be no
philosophy of it.  The study of it would belong to abnormal psychology....
Religion cannot afford to claim exemption from philosophical enquiry.  If it
attempts to do so on the grounds of sanctity, it can only draw upon itself
suspicion that it is afraid to face the music.''

      -- H. J. Paton, "The Modern Predicament"