The point in this article is that in some jurisdictions the people using Ashley Maddison are committing an offence under their laws when they take certain actions such as adultery. It is therefore not just the publication of their names that has serious consequences alone but the acts they engage in via this website in the first place. If you run these risks hoping not to get caught, when there are extreme consequences, when you get found out (by whatever means) you are a victim of your own risk taking. I don't agree with breaking laws around privacy to catch people cheating etc, but I also think that when you play with fire you often get burned.
So, in your opinion, the hacker who breaks the law to acquire confidential information that causes harm to another person is absolved of moral responsibility, then?
He never even mentioned the hackers. What he meant was that the affected by the hackers have less of a victim case than usual because one way or another, they were breaking the law in the first place. I'm not a homophobe and I dont condone the anti-gay laws, but the gay dude knew full well what Saudi Arabia's laws are. There was always a chance he would be found out... the safest thing would have been to simply leave the country instead of trying to hide in a country that literally wants him dead. Same for the cheaters. They weren't doing anything legal or right in most countries, so they're not exactly blameless victims. It sucks that those laws exist, but yo.. if my country said I couldn't do something under threat of death, I wouldn't go on a cheating website to do it anyways.
OP didn't mention the hackers, but by saying the cheater who gets hacked deserved what came to them because they did an illegal act, they're saying that the hacker is not morally responsible for the act of leaking the damaging information.
I'm not sure I agree with that idea at all. Especially when these are people who are doing something illegal because their country is repressive on issues such as gay rights.
If legality is all we care about, are we saying, "It sucks that women get stoned for adultery in Saudi Arabia, but yo, they just had not to do it"? Because that's what it sounds like to me.
That's pretty much what I'm saying. Its like getting mugged. No matter how wrong and despicable it is to steal, he's holding the gun and you're not. By extension, the government over in those countries have the police and the judicial systems. They make the laws- it's unfortunate that they're wrong and backwards, but unless you're moving out or making a point as an activist, there's no reason to throw your life away if you know that you're breaking a law.
Now... I think you may be confused in the sense of blame. Who's to blame here? Not one single group. All of them are at fault. The government for being oppressive. The web service for knowingly providing a way to perpetrate illegal activities. The consumer for carrying through said illegal activities. In a perfect world the government wouldn't be a douche, therefore eliminating the need to hide from it, but that's not the real world right now.
Also... keep in mind I'm just defending those oppressed, at least they have some semblance of an excuse. Cheaters are a different issue. Being unfaithful is in no way excusable, so they were playing with hot water from the start. Their punishment was over the top, and in the countries where they could die, unfair... but again. If you know it's illegal to be gay or cheat or wear purple boxers in a country that would kill you for doing so.... why would you give them the excuse they're looking for to whack you?
I'm pretty sure I said I don't agree with people breaking the laws of privacy. Very clearly I have stated this opinion. My point is really that I don't agree with anyone breaking any of the laws. My view is that when you know what your laws are and you choose to run the risk of breaking them there are sometimes consequences and such consequences can be serious. If you get caught out in such consequences it is due to your risk taking. I have the same view for those caught hacking any website and publishing data.
The point in this article is that in some jurisdictions the people using Ashley Maddison are committing an offence under their laws when they take certain actions such as adultery. It is therefore not just the publication of their names that has serious consequences alone but the acts they engage in via this website in the first place. If you run these risks hoping not to get caught, when there are extreme consequences, when you get found out (by whatever means) you are a victim of your own risk taking. I don't agree with breaking laws around privacy to catch people cheating etc, but I also think that when you play with fire you often get burned.
So, in your opinion, the hacker who breaks the law to acquire confidential information that causes harm to another person is absolved of moral responsibility, then?
He never even mentioned the hackers. What he meant was that the affected by the hackers have less of a victim case than usual because one way or another, they were breaking the law in the first place. I'm not a homophobe and I dont condone the anti-gay laws, but the gay dude knew full well what Saudi Arabia's laws are. There was always a chance he would be found out... the safest thing would have been to simply leave the country instead of trying to hide in a country that literally wants him dead. Same for the cheaters. They weren't doing anything legal or right in most countries, so they're not exactly blameless victims. It sucks that those laws exist, but yo.. if my country said I couldn't do something under threat of death, I wouldn't go on a cheating website to do it anyways.
OP didn't mention the hackers, but by saying the cheater who gets hacked deserved what came to them because they did an illegal act, they're saying that the hacker is not morally responsible for the act of leaking the damaging information.
I'm not sure I agree with that idea at all. Especially when these are people who are doing something illegal because their country is repressive on issues such as gay rights.
If legality is all we care about, are we saying, "It sucks that women get stoned for adultery in Saudi Arabia, but yo, they just had not to do it"? Because that's what it sounds like to me.
That's pretty much what I'm saying. Its like getting mugged. No matter how wrong and despicable it is to steal, he's holding the gun and you're not. By extension, the government over in those countries have the police and the judicial systems. They make the laws- it's unfortunate that they're wrong and backwards, but unless you're moving out or making a point as an activist, there's no reason to throw your life away if you know that you're breaking a law.
Now... I think you may be confused in the sense of blame. Who's to blame here? Not one single group. All of them are at fault. The government for being oppressive. The web service for knowingly providing a way to perpetrate illegal activities. The consumer for carrying through said illegal activities. In a perfect world the government wouldn't be a douche, therefore eliminating the need to hide from it, but that's not the real world right now.
Also... keep in mind I'm just defending those oppressed, at least they have some semblance of an excuse. Cheaters are a different issue. Being unfaithful is in no way excusable, so they were playing with hot water from the start. Their punishment was over the top, and in the countries where they could die, unfair... but again. If you know it's illegal to be gay or cheat or wear purple boxers in a country that would kill you for doing so.... why would you give them the excuse they're looking for to whack you?
I'm pretty sure I said I don't agree with people breaking the laws of privacy. Very clearly I have stated this opinion. My point is really that I don't agree with anyone breaking any of the laws. My view is that when you know what your laws are and you choose to run the risk of breaking them there are sometimes consequences and such consequences can be serious. If you get caught out in such consequences it is due to your risk taking. I have the same view for those caught hacking any website and publishing data.