By: Katherine Soroya,
on 10/11/2015
On 21 September 2015 the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) released a statement into Operation Midland. Within this statement the MPS provide a description of the current practice of investigating claims of child sexual abuse or serious sexual assault.
The post Reasonable suspicion for arrest in the era of Operation Midland appeared first on OUPblog.
By: John,
on 9/10/2012
India cartoonist Aseem Trivedi's arrest sparks outrage:
Once again, the absurd headline of “Politicians have cartoonist arrested” helps put things in perspective for the rest of us. All the best to Mr Trivedi during all this, and hats off to his courage and convictions and that of all political cartoonists.
Mr Trivedi was arrested on Saturday for a series of cartoons lampooning politicians. He refused to apply for bail at Monday’s hearing, and said if telling the truth made him a traitor then he was happy to be described as one. In one of his cartoons the customary three lions in India’s national emblem are replaced with three wolves, their teeth dripping blood, with the message “Long live corruption” written underneath.
By: Jessamyn West,
on 2/26/2007
This story about a guy being busted for using public wifi is making the rounds and, like the recent scrotum story, has a lot of possible ways of interpreting events. Short story: guy gets busted for using public library wifi when library is closed, gets laptop confiscated for up to a week. Longer story is in the details.
So, what to make of this? Is there a law against using wireless that’s made publicly available? Is it okay to confiscate someone’s laptop for a week while you put together a warrant to search it? How much responsibility does the library have to implement technological solutions to enforce their policies (if there is in fact a policy, which is totally unclear from this story)? How much weight does the police officer’s assertion that the guy was “feeding off something that we know the city of Palmer pays for” carry legally? Is this guy really going to face criminal charges? I’m sure there is more to this story and it may make what we know of it make more sense, but for now I’m left scratching my head.
I install wireless access points for libraries and I make the various levels of access crystal clear to them (want a password? want a new password every day? want to turn it off at night? want to limit downloading? want to block certain users? want to make the network invisible?) and let them make their own choices. These are all hardware/software problems, not social problems and certainly not legal problems. They may become legal problems if we shirk responsibility for maintaining and understanding our own technology, but can we please not let it get to that? [link o’ day]
alaska, arrest, crime, palmerlibrary, wifi
Take a look at the weather in Palmer… it would have been close to sub-zero on the days in question. A car idling for several hours outside a closed library in those circumstances starts to look suspicious.
Take a look at the weather in Palmer… it would have been close to sub-zero on the days in question. A car idling for several hours outside a closed library in those circumstances starts to look suspicious.
I’m always mystified by these stories. The way I see it, there’s no difference between someone using the library’s free public wireless access whether inside or outside the building, or whether the library is open or closed.
What disturbs me the most is that they’re treating the use of free public library services as a crime. Following this logic, we should also hunt down and arrest the people (obviously hackers) who persist in searching library catalogs and databases when those libraries are closed…not to mention passing laws so that people don’t get any ideas about sitting in their cars near the library while using the light from the streetlamps to read their books.
[…] The article is short on details. He wasn’t arrested, but his computer was seized. The basis of that seizure aren’t disclosed–what crime was actually committed? Trespassing, perhaps, as he was parked in a place he had already been told to leave? The computer isn’t being examined by police; rather, the library’s director will be looking into the matter. The fellow in question seems only mildly irritated, and neither he nor the police are sure whether he’ll be taken to court over the matter. rsi_pub = ‘0F6C5351519D1891B9E74DB865E30237′; rsi_site = ‘33C75F5545E0474F2F8B1B1463117087′; rsi_label =’weblog’; rsi_new_window =’1′; rsi_width = ‘300′; rsi_height = ‘250′; rsi_color_border = ‘ffffff’; rsi_color_cell = ‘ffffff’; rsi_color_link = ‘000000′; rsi_color_text = ‘000000′; rsi_color_url = ‘808080′; The hilarious librarian Jessamyn West notes on her blog that there are a number of other unanswered questions, such as why the library needed a professional to install a “timer,” when they could just hit the off switch if they didn’t want it used after hours. […]
I’m always mystified by these stories. The way I see it, there’s no difference between someone using the library’s free public wireless access whether inside or outside the building, or whether the library is open or closed.
What disturbs me the most is that they’re treating the use of free public library services as a crime. Following this logic, we should also hunt down and arrest the people (obviously hackers) who persist in searching library catalogs and databases when those libraries are closed…not to mention passing laws so that people don’t get any ideas about sitting in their cars near the library while using the light from the streetlamps to read their books.
[…] The article is short on details. He wasn’t arrested, but his computer was seized. The basis of that seizure aren’t disclosed–what crime was actually committed? Trespassing, perhaps, as he was parked in a place he had already been told to leave? The computer isn’t being examined by police; rather, the library’s director will be looking into the matter. The fellow in question seems only mildly irritated, and neither he nor the police are sure whether he’ll be taken to court over the matter. rsi_pub = ‘0F6C5351519D1891B9E74DB865E30237′; rsi_site = ‘33C75F5545E0474F2F8B1B1463117087′; rsi_label =’weblog’; rsi_new_window =’1′; rsi_width = ‘300′; rsi_height = ‘250′; rsi_color_border = ‘ffffff’; rsi_color_cell = ‘ffffff’; rsi_color_link = ‘000000′; rsi_color_text = ‘000000′; rsi_color_url = ‘808080′; The hilarious librarian Jessamyn West notes on her blog that there are a number of other unanswered questions, such as why the library needed a professional to install a “timer,” when they could just hit the off switch if they didn’t want it used after hours. […]
Gee, one of the points I have used in selling the idea of installing WiFi has always been that folks could get use out of our connection when we were NOT open. It is more and better service. It is definitely Library 2.0 to allow access when the building is closed to the public!!!!
Gee, one of the points I have used in selling the idea of installing WiFi has always been that folks could get use out of our connection when we were NOT open. It is more and better service. It is definitely Library 2.0 to allow access when the building is closed to the public!!!!
I agree, Michael. In fact, libraries should be offering safe & well-lighted patio seating (or other setups in cold climes) to encourage this use. What better way to get the support of your community than to create a place for them to go any time of day or night?
I agree, Michael. In fact, libraries should be offering safe & well-lighted patio seating (or other setups in cold climes) to encourage this use. What better way to get the support of your community than to create a place for them to go any time of day or night?
I would bet this is a beef from the local police. The library didn’t call anyone, they weren’t open and they may not have any policy regarding this. Not sure why you would shut down wireless after hours. We have had wireless for a few years and have RV’s parked outside day and night. I have even had someone plug into our outside outlet and sit outside. They started early morning and even stayed outside after we opened.
We ran into a similar issue last summer when we would typically have 5-15 people (tourists from cruise ships mostly) sitting in the lobby of the library on the floor using the wireless. We didn’t really see this as a problem, though sure enough when there was a city manager’s meeting in the library meeting room before opening one day, they were appalled by this and insisted we put a start/stop timer on the wireless connection. I for one am for creating wireless communities, open up access, and let libraries lead the way. Our library is one of the tallest buidings in town, why not put a dish on the roof and provide wireless access for everyone?
I would bet this is a beef from the local police. The library didn’t call anyone, they weren’t open and they may not have any policy regarding this. Not sure why you would shut down wireless after hours. We have had wireless for a few years and have RV’s parked outside day and night. I have even had someone plug into our outside outlet and sit outside. They started early morning and even stayed outside after we opened.
We ran into a similar issue last summer when we would typically have 5-15 people (tourists from cruise ships mostly) sitting in the lobby of the library on the floor using the wireless. We didn’t really see this as a problem, though sure enough when there was a city manager’s meeting in the library meeting room before opening one day, they were appalled by this and insisted we put a start/stop timer on the wireless connection. I for one am for creating wireless communities, open up access, and let libraries lead the way. Our library is one of the tallest buidings in town, why not put a dish on the roof and provide wireless access for everyone?
What everyone from Michael on down said–we have folks that park outside and I thought it was weird too, but our director’s point, is they’re using a service–it means the library is being used even when it’s closed.
What everyone from Michael on down said–we have folks that park outside and I thought it was weird too, but our director’s point, is they’re using a service–it means the library is being used even when it’s closed.
[…] The hilarious librarian Jessamyn West notes on her blog that there are a number of other unanswered questions, such as why the library needed a professional to install a “timer,” when they could just hit the off switch if they didn’t want it used after hours. […]
[…] Chris DiBona wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptThe hilarious librarian Jessamyn West notes on her blog that there are a number of other unanswered questions, such as why the library needed a professional to install a “timer,” when they could just hit the off switch if they didn’t … […]
[…] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptThe hilarious librarian Jessamyn West notes on her blog that there are a number of other unanswered questions, such as why the library needed a professional to install a “timer,” when they could just hit the off switch if they didn’t … […]
[…] saij wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptThe hilarious librarian Jessamyn West notes on her blog that there are a number of other unanswered questions, such as why the library needed a professional to install a “timer,” when they could just hit the off switch if they didn’t … […]
[…] Jeralyn wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptThe hilarious librarian Jessamyn West notes on her blog that there are a number of other unanswered questions, such as why the library needed a professional to install a “timer,” when they could just hit the off switch if they didn’t … […]