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sillysaurusx • yesterday at 5:42 PM • 2 replies • view on HN

The CFAA is for unauthorized access to a computer system. Downloading from libgen isn't unauthorized access that can be prosecuted under the CFAA.

Say you have a network. You want to keep someone out of it. The tool for that is the CFAA.

If you have a book, and you want to stop someone from reproducing it, the tool for that is copyright.

They cover different domains. If you're not breaking into a network, you're unlikely to be charged under the CFAA.


Replies

Moomoomoo309 • yesterday at 7:20 PM

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50263074 This comment explains how they did break the CFAA multiple times, got caught red-handed, and got a slap on the wrist.