[WikiEN-l] Looking at the real world

Mon Sep 5 19:27:58 UTC 2005

On Sat, Sep 03, 2005 at 12:24:07PM +1000, Skyring wrote:
> On 9/3/05, James D. Forrester <james at jdforrester.org> wrote:
> > And further, accessing a computer system without authorisation is
> > illegal in the US, the UK, and Australia, to name but a few countries;
> > given that you are banned from Wikipedia, any edits that you were to
> > make would constitute such an illegal act. Several sysops, and not just
> > Mackensen, have suggested that you may well be doing this, violating
> > your ban order. Perhaps you might want to think about finding another
> > place to play, Skyring?
> 
> Thanks, James. Given that Wikipedia doesn't require checking of
> real-life identification before allowing access to the system, I can't
> see your theory lasting too long in any court.

I can't see as "real-life identification" matters.  Permission to access
the system is withdrawn from a person, not an "identification".  Once
that permission is withdrawn, access is unauthorized.

A shop does not require "real-life identification" before allowing you
to enter, either.  But if you behave in a manner which offends the
shopkeeper and she orders you to leave and never come back, and you fail
to obey, you are trespassing.  Identification doesn't enter into it:
the shopkeeper withdrew _your_ permission to be on her property -- not
your _name's_ or _ID card's_ permission.

It isn't your "identification" that's breaking the law by continuing to
edit Wikipedia (if you are so doing).  It's you.

-- 
Karl A. Krueger <kkrueger at whoi.edu>