Australian Journalist Arrested, Released After Detailing Facebook Flaws

CuteSteveJobs writes "Yesterday Australian journalist Ben Grubb was arrested by police at an IT Security Conference after an article Grubb wrote about vulnerabilities in Facebook's privacy controls was published on Fairfax media websites. Grubb was later released, but police have confiscated his iPad. Late last month police tried to force fellow Fairfax journalist Linton Besser into revealing who leaked information about corruption. At the time, Fairfax editor Peter Fray called it an unprecedented attack on the freedom of the press. Australia has no explicit right to free speech and lacks shield laws to protect investigative journalists from having to reveal sources."

The issue...

[exomondo]

...was that he published a photo that the presenter obtained without permission from the private profile of the wife of another security researcher (that the presenter publicly acknowledges that he doesn't like). The vulnerability disclosure does seem to be very very childish and unethical. The re-publishing of the photo does seem to be unethical too, but not illegal, which i assume is why he hasn't been charged with any offence.

not to mention Geohot and Fail0verflow

[decora]

who were sued by Sony, in part, for posting a number on a website.

Re:are we really that different?

[pookemon]

I find it interesting that this is seen as a "free speech" issue, rather than receiving "goods obtained via illegal means" issue. He received and published an image that was obtained illegally - was arrested and questioned about - and released.

What this really is is the press trying to say "but we're the media - we can take and do what we want". Nevermind that illegal means were used to obtain the subject matter.

Police chief compares it to receiving stolen TV

[syousef]

Yep, that's right the police chief equated receiving a "stolen" (copied) photo without permission to receiving a stolen TV. This is one time that "Copyright infringement is not theft" is very appropriate. Apparently our police just don't get it.

That tells you how rational and well informed our Police are. If it involves IT or computers they're just maroons.

Re:An update on this story by Grubb...

[sirkumi]

Here's a transcript of the interview he had with police:

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/journalists-facebook-arrest-transcript-of-police-interview-20110518-1esrr.html [smh.com.au]

It is abundantly clear that, while everything was going ok for a while, Ben's fatal flaw was being "helpful" to the police and offering information to them. The interview was voluntary, and they even told him he could walk out at any time. The minute he mentioned that he had taken notes of the converstaion with the security researcher on his iPad though, the police then had the information they needed to seize it. When he refused citing his sources and private information contained on it, they arrested him (later releasing him without charge). Once again, as has been linked to so many times here on Slashdot, the following should be REQUIRED viewing by everyone!

Don't talk to the Cops [youtube.com]