[stepupmakeup]

A clear distinction should be made, this isn't kids hacking companies for 'fun' or some kind of Kevin Mitnick-esque story where the thrill was having something they shouldn't or bypassing systems. These people wanted money and notoriety and got it by any means necessary, yet it took THREE arrests to finally put an end to it. They weren't just targetting multibillion dollar corporations, either.

Meanwhile in the very same country, the teenage criminal who helped ransom MGM casinos and London's transportation (twice arrested) is also free and likely actively deploying ransomware and sim swapping as we speak. I get that they're legally "children", but it's not like they're 9 year olds being tricked into do other peoples bidding, these are quite literally criminal masterminds working for themselves, and should be charged as one. "I promise I won't go online again" and supervision for a couple months obviously isn't working when you have companies getting hacked from a hotel room.