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by rubenfonseca 2505 days ago
Just because it’s published on the internet doesn’t give you absolutely any right to use it. I don’t understand why people don’t get this...
1 comments

I understand copyright - you created source code, placed it online, didn't apply an open source license to it, so those accessing it have no right to "make use" of the code.

What's the mechanism by which an email address found on a public website shouldn't be used to send email? Who decided on this social policy? I've been on the internet with email since about 1995 and this is the first time I've heard it suggested that public information shouldn't be "used" without permission. (And before you go off on a doxing tirade, let me address this: "using" someone's published physical address would be mailing them something - visiting them in person unannounced and/or republishing their address is definitely against social contract and might even be illegal.)

So what's the supposed social contract here? You found an email address but you're not allowed to email to it without permission? How do you get permission?

It’s called the law ;) I’m a EU user and article 5 and 6 of GDPR is pretty clear about this.
Bernhardt is a subject of US law. Do you have a comparable US legal citation?

Further, how would these articles of GDPR apply in this case? GitHub makes no representations about keeping your public data private. Please also suggest interpretation of specific parts of these articles that cover the recruiter collecting and making use of public information.