Exposing public corporate cock-ups is not "hacking"

Here's Ryan Tate, the first writer to cover AT&T's massive iPad data leak, on the "hacking" conviction of Andrew "Weev" Auernheimer for exposing it in the first place: "The scapegoating of Auernheimer is revolting for two reasons. One, it lets AT&T off the hook for exposing sensitive information to public view, shifting the blame onto those who reported the slip-up, and discouraging future disclosure. Two, the jailing of Auernheimer criminalizes the act of fetching openly available data over the web." Previously.