140 DEAR HACKER

140 DEAR HACKER

paper my high school implemented content filtering software from Lightspeed Systems. This new filtering system made searching on the Internet difficult. As a result, I, along with other students, began to search for information on how the filter worked and ways to bypass it. Our searching led us to discover that the filter did not block secure connections or connections running via a proxy.

A few weeks later I was called into the principal’s office and ques- tioned about my use of Google to find ways around their new filter. I tried to reason with the administrators that what I was doing in no way harmed the school computers and that it was breaking no laws or school rules. I attempted to explain that my only goal was to in- vestigate and learn about the filtering system. Despite the arguments from myself, other students, teachers, and my parents, I was given punishment. I was to report to in-school suspension during two of my three computer-related classes during the next week. Even more bizarre was the fact that I was allowed to use my personal laptop during my suspension.

It seems that the paranoia has hit my school administrators with full force. Now that two more students have been issued time in suspension for the same acts of merely searching for information about the filtering system, I can’t help but ask when did it become wrong to research the flaws in a piece of software? At no time did any student cause harm to the school’s systems or data. So much for trying to educate yourself in a public high school!

PCracer51

At some point you ought to let the geniuses who run your school in on the fact that their actions probably led to hundreds or even thousands of other people (our readers) pursuing the very knowledge they thought was so dangerous. If they understood this “risk” from the start, we bet they’d be a little more careful about stepping on people’s rights.

THE CHALLENGES OF LIFE AS A HACKER

Dear 2600:

I was minding my own business being a good citizen going through customs in Newark when the customs agent looked at me, looked at my passport, looked at his computer screen, and mumbled something like, “That’s not you.” I was then separated from my family and told to follow a TSA person to the INS processing center. Very curious as to what the problem was, I proceeded to wait in a small room with about 40 people who appeared to be foreigners trying to enter the U.S.

I heard one of the INS officers on the phone telling someone how short staffed they were and how it would be hours before something could

be done. So I settled down for a long wait. Luckily, one of the agents spotted my passport and said, “Hey, that’s an American one. Hand it over to me—I’ll get it done.” I am certainly glad I wasn’t an immigrant coming through Newark that day. A few minutes later I was called up and was just told “Sorry, but you have one of those names that is very common.” He apologized for the delay but offered nothing else.

I thanked him and left to rejoin my family. I’m sure this has happened to others. I haven’t decided whether to feel