Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by ajross 293 days ago
Impact and harm is absolutely part of the criteria by which we judge crimes and penalties. Not sure where you're going with that.
1 comments

Of course harm matters. Stealing a priceless original is worse, and punished harder, than stealing a commodity out of a corner store. That doesn’t mean the latter is fine.
There's a spectrum between "not fine" and criminal prosecution!
> a spectrum between "not fine" and criminal prosecution!

And I’d say someone who premeditates a company wide shutdown, triggers it, and then doesn’t offer to help after its damage becomes clearly apparent crosses the line of criminal responsibility.