From: hallam@w3.org
Date: Wed, 6 Sep 95 12:39:50 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Are booby-trapped computers legal?
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.91.950906115827.23559B-100000@on-ramp.ior.com>
Message-ID: <9509061938.AA02249@zorch.w3.org>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Under UK law it is certainly illegal to create any device with the
intention of causing greivous bodily harm to anyone. The right to self
defense is very precisely that, the right to take reasonable steps to 
defend yourself with commensurate force if attacked.

If someone hits you in the face you do not have the right to kill
him. If someone tries to do serious harm to you and the only way
to avoid that harm is to kill them that is self defense.


There is no self defense argument where the purpose is not to prevent
physical harm. 

Any device intended to cause harm to someone tampering with a computer
could well land the perpetrator in jail for a very long time for
attempted murder or murder.


People who go round drawing parallels to gun ownership and cryptography 
ownership are simply playing into the governments hands. Cryptography has net 
benefits to society. Most advocates of gun ownership tend to convince me of 
little more than they are a danger to society. Regardless of their case they are 
the biggest argument for gun control, and therfore poor advocates of their 
cause. I see their attempts to draw parallels with cryptography to be little 
more than trying to shore up their sinking ship with one thats afloat.


		Phill