In a message dated 4/16/2009 2:17:07 PM Pacific Daylight Time, andrewrturvey@googlemail.com writes:
Under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, deliberately making an unauthorized modification to computer data which impairing the reliability of the data>>
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"Unauthorized" implies that there is an "authorized". As far as Wikipedia is concerned I'm not sure we have an authority who is granting rights to make particular changes.
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WJhonson@aol.com wrote:
In a message dated 4/16/2009 2:17:07 PM Pacific Daylight Time, andrewrturvey@googlemail.com writes:
Under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, deliberately making an unauthorized modification to computer data which impairing the reliability of the data>>
"Unauthorized" implies that there is an "authorized". As far as Wikipedia is concerned I'm not sure we have an authority who is granting rights to make particular changes.
Sorry, there is a misunderstanding here; Section 1 of the 1990 Act (about which I have written extensively) criminalises "unauthorised access, knowing this is unauthorised".
Our mantra, "This is the encyclopedia that anyone can edit" would seem to be a perfect defence, if not on the actual point of "authority", certainly on the point of the requisite state of mind. The position is somewhat different for users who have been specifically blocked and/or banned, but as yet, we haven't felt it necessary to consider criminal proceedings, although one or two obvious cases spring to mind.
The other considerations are (1) whether the Police and Crown Prosecution Service would think it a good idea to spend much public money on what is a summary offence, triable only by magistrates, and with a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment (and not the five years previously mentioned; that is reserved for fraudulent purposes), and (2) whether the media would not see such action by us as nut-cracking by sledgehammer and pillory us for taking disproportionate action. Arguably counter-productive in the wrong hands, perhaps.