Computer viruses are bad enough when they steal your credit-card number or crash your PC, but an Associated Press investigation found several cases where viruses downloaded hard-core child pornography onto the laptops or desktop computers of unsuspecting users. When the users are arrested, it is hard to prove that they’re not pedophiles. Why would anyone want to store child pornography on someone else's hard drive? (Watch a report warning people to be careful of viruses that download child pornography)
It’s a good way to frame someone: "It’s difficult to understand the motives for dumping boatloads of child pornography" on someone’s hard drive, says Terrence O’Brien in Switched. Some pedophiles "secretly store their highly illegal collections" on a host computer for remote viewing. But hackers can also do it to destroy the reputations of others. That’s way worse than stealing someone's credit card -- and much more costly for the victim.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
'A direct, protracted war with Israel is not something Iran is equipped to fight'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Today's political cartoons - April 17, 2024Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons - political anxiety, jury sorting hat, and more
-
Arid Gulf states hit with year's worth of rainSpeed Read The historic flooding in Dubai is tied to climate change
