Ask HN: Ethics of Social Hacking

For years, the Y Combinator application included the question, "Please tell us about the time you most successfully hacked some (non-computer) system to your advantage." I noticed that that question has recently been removed.

I'm in a situation that's making me wonder about the ethics of non-technical hacking. Tomorrow there's a conference very near where I live that costs thousands of dollars to attend. The CEO of my main competitor is giving a talk at that conference, and a number of people who it would be advantageous for me to network with will also be there. Sneaking in would be relatively trivial, as the conference is in a semi-public location. I may not be able to get into the talks without a badge, but if I dress the part I'd probably be able to network during lunch and breaks.

On one hand, sneaking into the conference would be a major opportunity for my startup, and it could really give us a leg-up. The startup community always stresses hustling and doing things that don't scale, and this would be the epitome of that. I checked with my state's legal code, and I could only be charged with trespassing if I damaged property or refused to leave.

On the other hand, sneaking in just feels wrong. The people there spent thousands to attend, and it's exclusive for a reason. I also have a relatively strong network, so it's not like going would be make-or-break for me (if it was, the moral transgression would arguably be more excusable). Finally, some really high-profile people are going to be there, so if I get caught chances are I could be arrested even if there's nothing I could be charged with.

My cofounder doesn't want me to go, so I'll probably listen to him, but I'd like to hear what HN's opinion on this is.