>Most teen hackers more curious than criminal >By Marilyn Elias, USA TODAY http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2007-08-19-teen-hackers_N.htm > >SAN FRANCISCO - A large minority of teenagers commit computer crimes >such as hacking and software piracy, but it's done mostly out of >curiosity and a hunger for excitement rather than wanting to cause >trouble, a psychologist reported over the weekend. > >"Parents are not savvy enough yet" to realize what's going on, said >psychologist Shirley McGuire of the University of San Francisco. >"They are becoming more savvy, but they're not doing it fast enough." > >She reported on an anonymous survey of about 4,800 San Diego area >high school students at the American Psychological Association >conference. Among findings: > >*38% said they copied software without permission. > >*18% went into someone's computer or website without permission, and >16% took material. > >*13% changed a computer system, file program or website without permission. > >Boys were far more likely than girls to hack and illegally copy >software. But only about one in 10 teens said they did it to cause >trouble or make money. Many more cited learning about computers or >because "it is exciting and challenging" as their main motives. > >Still, these actions are illegal and nothing to shrug off, says >Nancy Willard, director of the Center for Safe and Responsible >Internet Use in Eugene, Ore. Innocent, techie children can stumble >into "online support communities" that function like cyber gangs, >she says. "They hack together, and they one-up each other." > >Teen hackers "invade privacy just to see if they can do it," Willard >says. "They cause a lot of financial loss for companies and school >districts." She says schools should do much more to channel >techno-gifted teens into positive paths. For example, they can be >paired with mentors in the industry or linked to community colleges >that offer mind-expanding but legal computer activities. > >Not everyone says the problem is that serious. "In the vast majority >of instances, it's not a crime because it's not done with criminal >intent," says Steve Jones, a communications researcher who >specializes in new media at the University of Illinois in Chicago. >"Parents need to educate teens about copyrights and what's dangerous >to do online, and then they need to show some trust for their kids. > >"This is rather typical adolescent behavior that has now transferred >itself to the online realm."
Huh? It's not a crime because there was no criminal intent?????????? Don -- Don M. Blumenthal Technology, Law, and Policy [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.donblumenthal.com 734-997-0764 202-431-0874 (c) _______________________________________________ Fun and Misc security discussion for OT posts. https://linuxbox.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/funsec Note: funsec is a public and open mailing list.
