[FYI] U.S.: Stiff penalties sought for computer crime

["Axel H Horns" <horns@t-online.de>]

http://www.zdnet.com/filters/printerfriendly/0,6061,2559889-2,00.html

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Stiff penalties sought for computer crime  

By Mike Brunker, MSNBC  

May 2, 2000 8:30 AM PT  

URL: 
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2559889,00.html?chkpt=z 
dnnstop  

Adding new teeth to federal laws governing high-tech crime, the U.S. 
Sentencing Commission on Monday sent Congress guidelines for judges 
that would substantially increase penalties for crimes such as credit 
card and identity theft, using computers to solicit or sexually 
exploit minors, and violating copyrights or trademarks online.  

Most of the new standards will take effect on Nov. 1 unless Congress 
strikes them, which it rarely does. The copyright and trademark 
provisions take effect immediately because Congress gave the 
commission authority to act quickly to stem a practice that one trade 
association estimated costs the software industry $11.4 billion each 
year.  

In some cases, the new guidelines will more than double the sentence 
for computer and other high-tech crimes.  

[...]

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