Hacker News Reader

We do have that now, as of 2022! The new Justice Department policy now instructs prosecutors not to prosecute security researchers who acted in good faith for the public benefit and who avoided any harm to individuals or the public.

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-announces-...

View on HN

That checks off federal cases, but there are still options for a corporation under what are normally much stricter state laws in the USA. For instance, in Illinois you can get up to 5 years in prison for violating the ToS of a web site.

As well I think that would still leave you exposed for a civil suit, which even if you win, can be financially devastating. What would be needed is an anti-SLAPP type legislation at the state and federal level to mitigate it.

Policy can change, retrospectively even

Reply on news.ycombinator.com