The long-term issue is more fundamental: laws against hacking were the first defilement of the internet, the first intrusion against freedom of speech. They are far worse than useless – they’ve helped create an environment where it is NORMAL for ordinary people to have PCs infected by botnets controlled by the Russian Mafia. On a more elite level, websites like the one “weev” visited are surely being visited by Chinese with a keen eye for business, who will take this data, use it to trounce them in the marketplace, and never a word will be said about it. That’s what happens when people put their faith in censorship instead of open and vigorous discussion.

Beijing eventually let Ai Weiwei have a partial return to normal life – is the U.S. willing to match their moves toward civil liberties?

I couldn’t care less if Weev broke the law into a thousand pieces, he deserves his rights regardless.