[Guest]

Ifa person attacks me, I am within my rights to respond to that attack. Therefore for my physical and/or mentalwellbeing I am allowed to use force. Inlight of the same subject, does it matter if the knife I have in my pocket anduse in this self defensive situation belongs to my friend? If you answer no to this question, considerthe following: Is it legal to write a computer program for a friend that willblock access to web browsers on a particular computer if the web browsers onthis computer are being used to mentally harm the friend in question? The program would not replicate, would notdestroy information, would simply block the use of web browsers and force thefriend’s offender into the open. Is thisillegal? If it is illegal, I will find amore ingenious way to help prevent the problem.

[curr3nt]

Does your friend own the computer?

*I think* that if your friend wants you to write code for him to use on his own computer then you can code whatever you want.

*I think* the only legality comes into play if the computer you are putting the code on does not belong to either you or your friend.

[Guest]

Does your friend own the computer?

*I think* that if your friend wants you to write code for him to use on his own computer then you can code whatever you want.

*I think* the only legality comes into play if the computer you are putting the code on does not belong to either you or your friend.

If the computer in question would belong to the friend's family member?

Edited February 10, 2011 by Darth Legion

[curr3nt]

It could go bad for you depending on how your friend's family is.

[Guest]

It could go bad for you depending on how your friend's family is.

Then I'll think of a way that will most certainly not cross wires with legality.

[unreality]

I'm sure it's fine if you get the permission of those whose computer(s) you're working on

[Guest]

The person who owns the computer is the person who is causing the problem.

[unreality]

So let me get this straight. Person A is using his web browser to be malicious against Person B (your friend). Person B has asked you to break into Person A's computer and stop Person A from being able to access the web?

Maybe you should confront Person A directly instead of a (possibly illegal) clandestine operation?

[Guest]

So let me get this straight. Person A is using his web browser to be malicious against Person B (your friend). Person B has asked you to break into Person A's computer and stop Person A from being able to access the web?

Maybe you should confront Person A directly instead of a (possibly illegal) clandestine operation?

Yes, that's what you have helped me to decide.

[Izzy]

That sounds illegal to me. Cyberbullying is a crime, so you're within your rights to report it. However, there's a lot of misconception regarding the self-defense law. In short: if you injure or kill someone, no matter what the circumstances, you will be arrested and charged with a crime. The police will not make the assumption that you acted in self-defense. They will let the courts sort that out. Further, there are limitations on the force that can be used. The most important limit to the defense of self-defense is that the level of response must not exceed the threat. You can't shoot an unarmed man, for example.

I'm iffy on internet laws, but it sounds like you want to write the equivalent for of a firewall for someone who doesn't want one. Unless you're this person's parent, I'm pretty sure unauthorized tampering is illegal.

That said, I don't actually care what you do. If the bro's being a d'ick, f'uck with his internet.

[Guest]

HAHA thanks, I'll be finding a different way though.

[gvg]

If I understand correctly, these may help

[Guest]

I'm not sure I entirely understand the goals outlined in the OP, but I definitely agree with others here that you'd be entering dangerous waters if you tried to implement what you suggested. While this seems to be an extremely localized incident, if your friend were caught doing something illegal with the code you wrote, and it could be shown that you were aware that he was planning to use it illegally, then you could be accused as an abettor to the crime.

This came up on an email list I'm on, but one-time hacker Stephen Watts is facing jail-time for writing malicious code for a friend that was used to defraud millions of credit accounts. So you can get into trouble for the code you write, even if you aren't the one misusing it.

[Guest]

I'm not sure I entirely understand the goals outlined in the OP, but I definitely agree with others here that you'd be entering dangerous waters if you tried to implement what you suggested. While this seems to be an extremely localized incident, if your friend were caught doing something illegal with the code you wrote, and it could be shown that you were aware that he was planning to use it illegally, then you could be accused as an abettor to the crime.

This came up on an email list I'm on, but one-time hacker Stephen Watts is facing jail-time for writing malicious code for a friend that was used to defraud millions of credit accounts. So you can get into trouble for the code you write, even if you aren't the one misusing it.

Okay, thanks.