What do you think the punishment should be for this computer hacker hacking into gov. UFO files?

Question

http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=v15p8xydcb

Answer 1

Personally, having done some research into Mr. McKinnon, I have to wonder why it was that he thought it was okay.

Personally, I'm good with his doing the six months he was originally told would be the punishment. The 60 years that my country wants to slap him with can only be the price of a pound of flesh demanded because of humiliation, revealing that the government's security on its supposedly high-security networks is really lax. I'd really enjoy seeing proof that $5,000 in damage was actually done to each and every computer he came in contact with, rather than some flimsy claim to the contrary.

However, without SOMETHING in the way of evidence, Gary's claims of finding proof of UFO's are dubious, and likely not to be provable to begin with. And if he actually found something, why was he unable to immediately capture proof of it and then send this proof along?

Gary McKinnon should be punished for breaking the law, but let's be realistic: the punishment proposed by the US government in no way fits the crime. This is just another example of fear tactics being used to try to control people.

There is no actual national security interest involved in covering anything up (at least, nothing I'd consider good theory on national security policy, since the average person doesn't trust the government), so why can't someone come forward with irrefutable proof that a coverup is occurring?

We can know about AT&T/Sprint/Verizon doing illegal wiretaps and the identities of undercover CIA officials, but we can't have damning evidence that proves something in the way of a coverup is really happening? Come on, be realistic, here: we know all about Area 51 being a nuclear research facility (and not, as some have claimed, a place where ETV's and space aliens are stored, especially not since it's been so high in profile the past decade or so).

Logically, these claims made by both sides are ludicrous at best, because neither side has one whit of proof. Best to just let the bloke have his life back, with the understanding that if he does it again, summary extradition to the United States would follow. And if he does it again, make good on the threat.

Answer 2

Tie horses to his limbs and let them pull them off his body

Answer 3

Actually some computer hackers are so good with computers that the government gives them jobs with the FBI and CIA.You do not think the government puts cleaver people like that in jail.Of course if the government has enough computer geeks then they might.We just cannot afford these computer hackers falling into the hands of the Chinese intelligent service.The Chinese are always looking for people with exceptional computer skills.They are prepared to pay big money for people like this.

Answer 4

If you have the balls to hack into the government, I say definite life imprisonment. I had never even heard of this before. What did he say he found?

Answer 5

black-balled for life!

Answer 6

A suitable punishment would be to prohibit this person from seeing the new X-files movie for a whole year!

Also, parapsychologists do not deal with UFO reports. UFOs don't have anything to do with parapsychology. This question is better placed in Computers & Internet or Law Enforcement.

Answer 7

Maybe a couple of months of community service and a fine of say  five thousand bucks or so.

Don't think any great harm, and it is up to the government to make their system where it can't be hacked.   Fine the people who set up the system that was hackable!

The U.S. like always likes to impose horrendous punishments for crimes that really do no harm.   Guess they are kinda like the Taliban in a way they hand out punishments, although they don't like to admit it.

Answer 8

A bare bottomed spanking given by a buxom woman in a nurse's uniform then half an hour corner time.