‘Placing stolen films on internet a crime’

Placing stolen video clips, photos and other computer-based information on internet will be punishable by up to four years in jail if new legislation being drafted by justice minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin gets approval.


The new law will make it an offence for webmasters to distribute webcam films, photos and other information which has been obtained unlawfully, the Telegraaf says.
The new legislation follows a case involving tv presentor Manon Thomas two years ago. A neighbour who stole nude photographs from her personal computer was given community service but people who distributed the photographs all over the internet were found not guilty.
At the moment, receiving stolen computer-based property is not a crime because the information is not considered to be a concrete thing.
The paper says the new law is aimed at tackling ex-partners and neighbours who put compromising films on the internet as well as professional criminals who buy and sell sensitive information such as user names, passwords and credit card details.

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