FBI arrests people for clicking certain hyperlinks

[Mewgia]

http://www.news.com/8301-13578_3-9899151-3...l?tag=nefd.lede

So the fbi has placed several links around the internet in posts, along with claims that the link contains child porn. This is the FBI's new way to catch pedophiles. It has been ruled legal in a court hearing, though there is a lot of controversy.


It is also a big step toward a police state. The only thing the feds have proof of with this method is that you clicked this fake link - they don't have to prove that you have ever chosen to view any child porn at all, it is just assumed and that's all the court apparently needs to jail you. Someone who is leeching your wifi network could have clicked it and not you - but no, this defense does not work either.

They could start posting trap links that say they link to ways to buy drugs.


They could use this to catch pirates.

See where I'm going?


[EDIT] I would like it if people actually read the article instead of jumping to conclusions by reading my only my post.

 

[Harsky]

I think this is their way to try and stop rickrolls.

 

[Mewgia]

I think this is their way to try and stop rickrolls.

yeah he chief of the fbi got sick of having to kill the process of his browser to get rid of the lyrics that pop up.

no but seriously, this is bad :/

 

[xJonny]

Your post implies that you don't want it to happen because you're a pirate who could possibly be trapped. HAH!

And don't even blame it on your neighbour stealing your wifi!

Seriously though, I don't know if they'd do it for things like pirated links although people have been trapped in torrents and p2p.

 

[Rayder]

Hmm....sounds like entrapment to me, but I don't go looking for child porn anyway. I thought entrapment was illegal.

 

[jumpman17]

The government has been hosting fake child porn sites for a while now to catch people who go to their fake site and continue to click around trying to load child porn pictures.

EDIT: Rayder: Yes, this is entrapment. I've always had a problem with how the cops on TV set up stings where they pretend to be hookers who go up to cars and knock on their windows, and continue to bug them to pay them for prostitution until they say yes. And then they arrest them.

 

[Mewgia]

Hmm....sounds like entrapment to me, but I don't go looking for child porn anyway. I thought entrapment was illegal.

it is, but a court has ruled that this is not entrapment because the descriptions that go along with the links say that the links contain cp.

however I think that it is entrapment, because the links do not actually contain anything illegal, and therefor they are charging people with an attempt to view illegal files. Which iirc is not against the law.

According to the article, the video is just a generic garbled video with no porn in it, the kind you get when you try to download pron but instead get a virus.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

When anyone visited the upload.sytes.net site, the FBI recorded the Internet Protocol address of the remote computer. There's no evidence the referring site was recorded as well, meaning the FBI couldn't tell if the visitor found the links through Ranchi or another source such as an e-mail message.

This could be a new form of rick roll. The article says if you click on the link, even if it disguised as something else, you will be arrested.

Someone could tinyurl it and tell you it's anything. Next thing you know you are arrested for child porn.

 

[Maktub]

I'm not sure about USA law, but here in Spain, if IRC (I live with two students on Law) an attempt to do something bad IS a crime. Not really sure about stuff on the internets cause the laws are new and constantly changing (so does the internetS). Anyway, personally, I think this is pure poo. However as long as they stick to pedobears it's alright for me.

Unless I click on a link which is supossed to lead me to a Rick Roll, but I get Pedo Bear'd, then FBI'd. That wouldn't be fun.
...
OMG, don't go into 4chan anymore, or you'll be def'ly FBI'd.

 

[xJonny]

When anyone visited the upload.sytes.net site, the FBI recorded the Internet Protocol address of the remote computer. There's no evidence the referring site was recorded as well, meaning the FBI couldn't tell if the visitor found the links through Ranchi or another source such as an e-mail message.

Someone could tinyurl it and tell you it's anything. Next thing you know you are arrested for child porn.

That's why we use TinyURL previews or Tin Foil Hat

 

[Mewgia]

When anyone visited the upload.sytes.net site, the FBI recorded the Internet Protocol address of the remote computer. There's no evidence the referring site was recorded as well, meaning the FBI couldn't tell if the visitor found the links through Ranchi or another source such as an e-mail message.

This could be a new form of rick roll. The article says if you click on the link, even if it disguised as something else, you will be arrested.

Someone could tinyurl it and tell you it's anything. Next thing you know you are arrested for child porn.

I found this article through a chan, and the first reply in the thread was along the lines of what you just said.

It doesn't even have to be tinyurl'd, if the feds decide to use more nondescript links it could just be staright out.

"hey guize grab this awesome new album at [trap link here]"


@xJonny at least 60% of people don't use either of those things. These are the average users of the internet who don't use firefox and even if they do, they don't use it for protection. You have to look at the big picture here.

 

[cracker]

I'm with Bob Loblaw. You could get someone in some serious trouble because let's face it... People are dumb and do things online that they know they shouldn't do no matter how many times they are told not to = There are a lot of stupid people online. And there are a lot of spiteful asses online that would redistribute the links as a game, full movie, etc and would get a lot of hits (even from smart people that were desperate to get their hands on the content that it was said to be). Ex: LoZ-PH or SSBB. There's no doubt that the people that knowingly visited the links were sick and needed help but this is going to start a whole mess of 'illegal behavior' that will be 'proven' because the IP address showed up -- no other questions asked.

 

[amrod]

what if someone puts the url in a tinyurl ?

 

[Mewgia]

I'm with Bob Loblaw. You could get someone in some serious trouble because let's face it... People are dumb and do things online that they know they shouldn't do no matter how many times they are told not to = There are a lot of stupid people online. And there are a lot of spiteful asses online that would redistribute the links as a game, full movie, etc and would get a lot of hits (even from smart people that were desperate to get their hands on the content that it was said to be). Ex: LoZ-PH or SSBB. There's no doubt that the people that knowingly visited the links were sick and needed help but this is going to start a whole mess of 'illegal behavior' that will be 'proven' because the IP address showed up -- no other questions asked.

One of the things that was said in the article is that the ip logger does not save the refferer site - which means that they can't check to see if the victim clicked a link that the fbi posted, as opposed to someone else posted it.

 

[Thanubis]

 

[SaltyDog]

Well, this is what is to be expected with the rogue Patriot Act. Bullshit like this was bound to happen. Catch the pedo's YES but do it within reason. I agree this is a major step (ergo Patriot Act again) toward a Police State. This exceeds entrapment without enticement. Suppose you did get an email with a virus or suppose you got a pop-up ad and click the damn link accidentally; your screwed. I can see if a pattern was established where a perp clicked multiple links looking for child porn or participated in online groups looking for it, then bust them. But, one click is more tortious than proven habituation. Unfortunately, committing a tort merits the same consequences as committing the actual crime. We, as a country, have really let our civil liberties go under the guise of a shadow president purporting terrorism as the greatest enemy. Yet, I sit here in Phoenix were illegal immigrants are caught by the hundreds daily!!!! and yet the government who is so willing to shield us with the Patriot Act, RICO, and out-right entrapment all for the sake of so-called safety leaves open entry into this country. First goes the liberties for fair trials then comes the police state. It will happen. (Sorry for the rant, but undeniable entrapment pisses me off!) There are bigger problems the FBI could handle than some supposed perverts.

 

[NeSchn]

Wow, thats a little unfair. Even if you accidently click on it you can still get arrested. Thats horrible. Damn pigs.

 

[SaltyDog]

Wow, thats a little unfair. Even if you accidently click on it you can still get arrested. Thats horrible. Damn pigs.

Actually, its those that make and uphold the laws. Don't blame the law enforcers (they are just doing their job regardless) blame the pigs in the justice and judicial systems.

 

[cubin']

I'm not down with pedos but I certainly don't agree that clicking on a certain link is enough to get you in trouble!

Don't you guys have some sort of privacy laws? I wonder when they'll start doing this for roms/games etc.

 

[Flooded]

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